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MEMOIRS 



Mrs COGHLAN, 



DAUGHTER OF THE LATE MAJOR MONCRIEFFE : 



WRITTEN BY HERSELF. 



INTRODUCTION AND NOTES. 

PRIVATELY REPRINTED. 
NEW-YORK: 

T. H. MORRELL. 
1864. 






Edition loo copies 8vo. 
20 " 4to. 



J^O. cPjl, 



] . M. Bra 11 STREET & Son, Printer: 



486555 

AUG 2 5 W? 



I 

I 



1^ 



INTRODUCTION. 



'T^HE following Memoirs were publifhed in 
London in 1794. In February, 1795, Meflrs. 
T. & J. Swords, of this city, republifhed them, 
adding a Preface, and fome remarks from a publi- 
cation entitled " The Female Jockey Club." 

The New-York edition is now very rare, and 
moft of the copies known to us are without the 
preface and remarks. 

The following edition has been printed from 
the author's copy, and, for the convenience of 
thofe perfons polTeffing the New-York edition 
above mentioned, the preface and remarks have 
been reprinted. 

New-York, November 10, 1864. 



PREFACE, 

By the Editor of the New-York Edition. 

"pVERY heart of fenfibility muft not only be 
interefted in the welfare of the author of the 
following Memoirs, but muft be confiderably 
affedted on a perufal of them, as they pourtray a 
mind naturally focial, amiable and virtuous, 
ftruggling againft misfortunes originating from 
the abfurd pradlice of obliging children to fac- 
rifice afFedlion, and confequently happinefs, to 
fordid pelf, or, what is of infinite lefs value, a 
titled name. The author's fentiments on this 
fubjed:, which have been powerfully impreffed by 
woeful experience ; her refledions on the inhu- 
man fufferings of unfortunate debtors in prifon, 

which 



^xf^- 



PREFACE. 

which may perhaps, in many inftances, be too 
applicable to her native country ; her expofition 
of the iniquitous pradice of law in England, 
the jurifprudence of which country America fer- 
vilely copies, convince the editor of the utility 
of a republication of the work in this country. 
It is to be hoped that the circumftance of her 
unfortunate marriage will have its due weight, 
and that thofe who exercife criticifm will not be 
too fevere upon her conduft, but will generoufly 
be to her faults a little blind. Her friends will 
undoubtedly defpife the weak prejudices of vul- 
gar minds, fo far as refpedls their connexion or 
alliance with the author. The public advantage 
has fuperfeded every other confideration with the 
editor, and he jfhall exceedingly regret incurring 
the difpleafure of any by republilhing thefe 
Memoirs. 

New-York, February^ I795- 



PREFACE. 

The following encomiums on the author of thefe 
Memoirs have appeared in the '' Female Jockey 
Club," which the publiflier of this American 
edition inferts as a tribute of praife juftly due 
to that noblenefs of foul fo confpicuous in the 
writer : — 

MRS. COGHLAN. 

We have not the leaft acquaintance with this 
lady, therefore are ignorant how far her rank 
entitles her to be admitted into that fociety of 
grandees who compofe the ^' Female Jockey 
Club ;" but as literary merit, in the opinion of 
Lady Lucan, our fupreme arbiter of etiquette, 
forms an exception to the general rule, and 
yields a right of admiffion into the grandeft 
circles, we have not hefitated to introduce her ; 
and we will venture boldly to pronounce, if her 
foul really breathe the fentiments contained in 
the Memoirs fhe has publifhed, that fhe pofTeffes 

• titles 



PREFACE. 



titles far fuperior to any which all the kings in 
the world have it in their power to beftow ; 
although, at the fame time, we are ready to con- 
fefs, that it is not by promulgating fimilar doc- 
trines fhe is to exped that his Majefty will ever 
make a lady of her ; nor do we believe that 
they will procure her a palTport to the favour 
and protedion fhe appears fo very much to 
want. We therefore recommend patience under 
prefent adverfity, and lincerely wifh a fpeedy 
period to all her afflictions. 



MEMOIRS 

OF 

Mrs. COGHLAN, 

{Daughter of the late Major Moncrieffe,) 

PVRITTEN BY HER.SELF, 
AND 

Dedicated to the Britiih Nation ; 

BEING INTERSPERSED WITH 

ANECDOTES 

OF THE LATE 

American and present French War^ 

WITH REMARKS MORAL AND POLITICAL. 



" And what is friendfhip but a name, 

" A charm that lulls to lleep — 
" A fhade that follows wealth and tame, 

" But leaves the wretch to weep .="— ' Goli.sm. 



LONDON : 

Printed for the AUTHOR, 
And SOLD by C. and G. KEARSLEY, Fleet-street. 



NAMES 



OF THE 



PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS 

IN THESE 

MEMOIRS. 

His Majefly, 

Louis the XVIth, 

Due d'Orleans, 

Comte d'Artois, 

Monfieur, 

Due de Montmorenei, 

Due de Pienne, 

Marquis de Sillery^ 

Marquis de Genlis, 

Monfieur de Lomprey, 

Due de Fitzjames, 

Monfieur Parquet, premier Prefident of the Par- 
liament of Paris, 

Monfieur de Crofne, 

Madame Grey, Superior of 'the Dominican Con- 
vent at Calais, 

Madame 



( iv ) 

Madame Smith, 
Madame Lafar, 

His Royal Highnefs the Duke of , 

His Grace the Duke of Leinfter, 

Lord Charlemont, 

Mr. Grattan, 

The Honourable Mr. Fox, 

Lord Lauderdale, 

Lord Cornwallis, 

General Monckton, 

General Cornwallis, 

General Montgomery, 

General Washington, 

General Putnam, 

General Mifflin, 

General Knox, 

Sir William Howe, 

Lord Howe, 

Lord Amherft, 

General Gage, 

Lord Gage, 

Lord Lincoln, 

The late Duke of Bolton, 

Lord Delawar, 

Colonel Etherington, 

Major Montrefor, 

Colonel Small, 

Honourable Colonel Grey, 

Colonel Banker, 

Judge Livingfton, 

M: 



Mr. William Livingfton, 
Colonel Webb, 

Duke of Q y, 

Mr. Frederick Jay, 

Major Moncrieffe, 

Edward Cornwallis Moncriffe, 

Alderman Moncrieffe, 

Colonel Moncrieffe, 

Governor Heron, 

Mr. Vining, 

Mr. Fazakerley, 

Mr. Giffard, of Chiliington, 

Mr. Coghlan, 

Mr. Walker, late Marfhal of the King's Bench, 

Mr. Jones, the prefent Marfhal, 

Mr. Robert Knight, 

Mr. Beckett, 

Colonel Freemantle, 

General Sheriff, 

Colonel Kembie, 

Prince Louis d'Aremberg, 

Lord Hervey, 

Mr B****** 

Sir Charles Gould, 

Mr. Chambers, Furnival's Inn, 

Mr. , Ely Place, 

Duke of Northumberland, 
Honourable Mrs. Gage, 
Mrs. Montrefor, 
Mrs. Putnam, 

Mrs. 



VI 



Mrs. Wafhington, 
Sir William Scott, 
Lady Blake, 
Mr. M — g — y, 
Mr. Erfkine, 

Lord E , 

General D*******, 

Sir Robert Harland, Bart.^ 

Marquis de Bouille. 



PREFACE. 



x\ MIDST the tempefl: that now rages in the 
political world, the cabals of fadlion and the ter- 
rors of revolution, the private forrows of an in- 
dividual pafs unregarded. The moft fplendid 
contributions are raifed for fupport of foreign 
refugees ; loans and benevolences, to an amazing 
extent, are pioufly, if not conftitutionally, fur- 
nifhed, to fupply the wants of our fuffering 
troops ; and all the pafTions inherent in the hu- 
man breaft are awakened and fet in motion, to 
give a pompous difplay to the humility and 
meaknefs of tender-hearted Charity. • 

We read of titled individuals beftowing hun- 
dreds 



( viii ) 

dreds in behalf of emigrant Popifh Priefts, while 
ONE SOLITARY GUINEA is prefixed to the fame 
names in fupport of their own countrymen, poor, 
induftrious, famillied manufadurers ! * 

Our ftreets fwarm with beggars : our looms are 
deferted ; — Poverty every where raifes her hag- 
gard mien amongft us; at the fame time that na- 
tional treafures are indifcriminately lavifhed with 
profufion upon foreigners, and expended in the 
further profecution of a moft difaftrous war; 
whereby the fund of wretchednefs is daily aug- 
mented ; and the fpedlacles of mifery that torture 
the fight in all our ftreets proclaim the fatal con- 
fequences it has already produced, and the abfo- 
lute neceflity of putting a period to the evil. 

The baneful effedls attending this calamity fall 
principally on the poor and induftrious clafi"es of 
fociety ; they extend themfelves even unto my- 

felf: 

* A fubfcription now on foot for the benefit of the Spitalfields weavers. 



( ix ) 

felf : the luxuries of the great will eafily admit of 
curtailment, but the wants of the poor call aloud 
for redrefs. Yet, as the former find themfelves 
in fome meafure called on to reduce the number 
of their fuperfluities from the many claims which 
the exigency of public affairs has upon them, fo 
are they lefs difposed to follow the didlates of 
Charity in relieving the pangs of domeftic woe. 

There exifls another defcription of the great, 
who thrive on the misfortunes which the prefent 
fystem creates, without directing a thought to 
their alleviation : I allude to the vaft additional 
number of contractors, commiffaries, penfioners 
and human locufts of every kind, preying on the 
decayed vitals of their country. Thefe men drain 
immenfe fortunes from the increafe of public bur- 
thens, and in every new tax, originates a new 
place, whereby the fcale of influence is alarmingly 
increafed. 

Hence princes and their minifters are apt to 

delight 



( X ) 

delight in war : it furnifhes them with a pretext 
for adding to their military eftablifhments : the 
fplendor of the throne Ihines brighter, and they 
conceive that they enjoy a more perfect ftate of 
fecurity, from the immenfe armies they retain in 
their pay. 

Wretched, however, is the prince who refls his 
hope on fuch foundation : the northern des- 
pots of Europe can have no other bafis than 
military force, on which to depend for the prefer- 
vation of their tyranny ; but the king of a free 
country fhould look to other principles : he 
fhould depend for the prefervation of his power 
on the peace, happinefs, choice, and affections of 
an united people. 

While the bulk of a nation is diflrefled, a vir- 
tuous prince can never enjoy a moment's content ; 
he cannot depart from his threlhold, that he does 
not meet fome obje6l of calamity, to ftrew thorns 
in his way. He mxuft reflect on the enormous 

falary 



XI 



falary that he himfelf receives, the magnificence 
and wafte by which he is furrounded, while fo 
many forlorn wretches are perifhing through want 
of the fmalleft part of thofe fuperfluities daily 
confumed within his own palace. 

The writer of the following fheets, nurfed in 
the lap of tendereft Indulgence, fprung from a 
father whofe attachment to a king even fuper- 
feded the duties he owed to his country : fhe 
who once bafked in the funfhine of Fortune has 
lately herfelf struggled with all the miferies fhe 
has endeavoured to defcribe. 

Affliction cuts the deeper from a recolledlion of 
former enjoyments : the memory of paft joys 
fharpens the fenfe of her prefent fufferings : fhe 
once little dreamed of thofe fcenes of horror 
through which fhe has pafled ; fhe little antici- 
pated, that whenever fhe fhould have occafion for 
the world's alTiftance, the world would with-hold 
it from her. She had fondly imagined, that 

2 every 



( xli ) 

everyone was her friend; nor was the veil of 
deception withdrawn, till, alas ! fhe had occafion 
for its friendfhip : — Then the very perfons who 
had been moft anxious to court her fmiles, who 
had beguiled her with their delufive flatteries, 
who had encouraged her errors and foothed her 
vices, were the firft to keep aloof and fhun the 
wretchednefs they had helped to accomplifh. — 
They who had been the bofom friends of her 
father, refufed even to hear the haplefs tale of his 
ill-fated child : nor did his unfhaken zeal in the 
caufe of His sovereign ever produce to his 
daughter the recompence of a {billing from the 
Englifh government. 

Thefe are the refledlions of one undifturbed 
by the frenzy of party confli6ls, and only zealous 
in the general caufe of humanity — They are the 
refledions of a woman, chaflened in Afflidion's 
fchool, reftored to reafon by the wholefome leflbns 

fhe 



( xiii ) 

fhe has received from that moft inflrucflive of all 
monitors, — Adverfity ! 

Want, worldly want, that hungry meagre fiend, 
Is at her heels, and chafes her in view."^ 

To drive off this fiend, alas ! fhe has no other 
hope, than from the advantage fhe may derive 
from this faint production of her pen. The per- 
fpedive which the world now prefents to her view 
is gloomy indeed : neverthelefs, it would be great- 
ly brightened, if fhe conceived that her example 
might ferve as a beacon to others of her fex. 

Oh ! may the generous charader of the Britifh 
nation, which has fo often fhone refplendent in 
ads of amiable benevolence, long preferve its 
luftre ! may it wipe off thofe tears, calculated to 
fade the cheek of Beauty ! may no political dif^ 
cord, no party rage ever obfcure it ! and while 

Gallia's 

* Venice Preferved. 



( xiv ) 

Gallia's refra6lory fons are revelling on the 
fruits of Britifh benevolence, let it not be faid 
that Britannia's own legitimate children ever figh- 
ed or wept in vain. 

Margaret Coghlan. 

December 7, 1793. 



MEMOIRS 



OF 



Mrs. COGHLAN 



Captain Patrick Heron, my grandfather, 
was quartered with his regiment at Portfmouth, 
where he made a conqueft of Mifs E. Vining, 
daughter of Mr. John Vining,* who was at that 
period mayor of the town. — The lady in queflion 
was born to a very confiderable fortune. 

My grandfather being a young man and a fol- 
dier, it was a match quite contrary to the inclina- 
tion of the old gentleman, Mr. Vining, who ufed 
all poffible means to prevent its taking place; 

but 



* A beautiful monument is ereded in St. Thomas church, Portfmouth, to 
the memory of this gentleman, ftating him to have been fix times mayor of 
that town. 



( i6 ) 

but love, almighty love fets every obftacle at de- 
fiance, and is always fure to furnifh means ade- 
quate to its ends. An elopement to Scotland was 
the refult of Mr. Vining's obftinacy ; from Cap- 
tain Heron's paternal feat iij that country, Mifs 
V. acquainted her father with this a6l of her dif- 
obedience, and implored his forgivenefs. The 
late Duke of Bolton and the late Lord Delawar 
became mediators with him, and their mediation 
induced Mr. Vining to relax from his feverity. 

The firft ftep towards reconciliation, was to 
write a letter to my grandfather, expreffing his 
reafons for difapproving the marriage, but at the 
fame time intreating him to quit Scotland, and 
bring home his bride. In this letter he propofed 
to fettle a handfome fortune on her as her mar- 
riage portion, together with Vicars-Hill, a de- 
lightful feat in the new foreft near Lymington. — 
Here my grandfather lived in the greateft fplen- 
dor for feveral years : his houfe was the univerfal 
receptacle of happinefs, where the rich were en- 
tertained with magnificent profufion, and where 
the wretched always found comfort and protec- 
tion. 



(17 ) 

tion. In the courfe of years, Mrs. Heron was 
the mother of nine children ; from one of whom 
Captain Mark Robinfon (fon of Admiral Robin- 
fon) is a defcendant : Captain Miller, of the ma- 
rines, married one of his fifters, and there are 
feveral other fons now living. The liberal mind 
of my grandfather frequently involved him in 
difagreeable embarraflments ; one of which oblig- 
ed him to abandon his country and friends : he 
was one evening in a coffee-houfe at Lymington, 
perufing the newfpapers, when a perfon by the 
name of Boyes applied to him, faying, '' Captain 
" Heron, I am a ruined man, fhould you refufe 
"the favour I am about to requefl; having a 
"quantity of cyder juft landed, I really have no 
"place wherein to depofit it for the night; will 
"you give me permifTion to lodge it in your cel- 
" lar ?" Upon which my grandfather confented, 
and fent to his butler for the key of the cellar, 
where the Juppojed cyder was no fooner placed 
than an excifeman arrived, who had either fol- 
lowed it himfelf, or had received information 
where it lay : he told my grandfather, "that there 
" had been fecreted in his cellar one hundred and 

" fifty 



( i8 ) 

'' fifty tierces of brandy, and that he muft fearch 
''for them:" whereon Captain Heron replied, 
" that he fhould not enter bis premifes." The 
excifeman perfifted, and notwithftaniing a fever e 
beating which he received from the fervants, he 
forced the door of the cellar, where he difcover- 
ed the brandy. EmbarrafTed by this difcovery, 
my grandfather flew to his father-in-law, the 
mayor of Portfmouth, and acquainting him with 
what had happened, afked his advice ; when the 
mayor was of opinion, that he ought to conceal 
himfelf until he wrote to the minifl:er to folicit 
fom.e indulgence. He purfued this advice, and 
received for anfwer, that a capias had been ifllied 
againfl: him, at the fuit of the excife office, for the 
enormous Jum of twenty thou/and pounds ; that he 
could give no other counfel, than for him infliant- 
ly to join the fortieth regiment, in which he had 
a company, and which then was fl:ationed at An- 
napolis-Royal. Thither he went, leaving his 
wife at Vicars-Hill, with her children, where fhe 
died broken hearted fix months after his depart- 
ure. Such are the cruelties that for ever flow 
from excife laws ! — He had not been long at An- 
napolis, 



( 19 ) 

napolis, when he was appointed governor of that 
place, which fituation he held at the time of his 
deceafe. 

Here he married Mifs Margaret Jephfon, 
daughter of Captain Jephfon, belonging to the 
fortieth regiment, by whom he had Margaret my 
mother. On the death of my grandfather, his 
widow went from Annapolis to Halifax, in order 
to take a pafTage for Cork, where fhe intended to 
fettle amongfl her own friends. Major Mon- 
crieffe, my father, who was then aid-de-camp to 
General Monckton, married her eldeft daughter. 
Her mother and the other children remained 
with them one month ; after which they failed for 
Ireland, and almoft within fight of the harbour 
of Cork the veffel foundered, and every foul per- 
ifhed. Owing to this fad event, my brother, Ed- 
ward Cornwallis MoncriefFe, and myfelf, are the 
only furvivors of that marriage ; and by the will 
of my grandfather, proved in the prerogative court 
of Canterbury, we are the lawful heirs to all his 
property. The eftate in Scotland is computed 
to be worth 7?i;(? tbouf and pounds per annum; and 

3 that 



( 20 ) 

that at Lymington is of confiderable value, but 
at prefent it is in the pofTefTion of my mother's 
half brothers and their children, whofe names I 
have already mentioned. 

My mother was efteemed a beautiful woman; fhe 
was a wife at the age of fourteen, and in her grave 
before fhe was twenty, leaving my brother and 
myfelf unprotected infants. — My father was like- 
wife a very young man, and at that time only 
a lieutenant in the army, although aid-de-camp 
to the commander in chief, Sir Jeffery, now Lord 
Amherft. General Gage, who had a fincere friend- 
fhip for him, propofed that his children fhould 
take up their abode at his houfe, where we were 
nurfed under the general's immediate infpedion, 
fharing the fame attention with his own children; 
and, the prefent Lord Gage was the companion 
of my infant years. My father, however, refolv- 
ed to fend my brother and myfelf for education 
to Dublin. At the age of three years, I was fent 
acrofs the Atlantic Ocean ; my brother being 
then only five years old. On our arrival in Dub- 
lin, I was fent to Mifs Beard's boarding-fchool, 

and 



( 21 ) 

and my brother to the Hibernian Academy : here 
I remained without feeing my father until I was 
eight years old, when he returned from America, 
and was quartered in Dublin with his regiment, 
the 55th, in which he had then a company. He 
brought with him the daughter of Judge Living- 
flon, of New-York, to whom he had been fome 
time married : the per/on of this lady was uncom- 
monly forbidding, but her purfe was irrefiftible. 
Young as I was, I did not like my new mother ; 
fhe had, as I above remarked, the moft difagree- 
able countenance ; and what is worfe, fhe was a 
flranger to every focial virtue, and a rigid Prefby- 
terian. My father having exchanged with the 
Honourable Colonel Grey, from the 55th to the 
59th regiment, was foon afterwards ordered upon 
the American ftation, and appointed Major of 
Brigade upon the flaff: the importunities of my 
mother-in-law were exerted to induce my father 
to take me back with them to New-York, but he 
had previoufly refolved to educate me in Dublin, 
and perfifted in the intention : however, in the 
year 1772, both my brother and myfelf were or- 
dered, by letters from my father, to return to 

New-York, 



( 22 ) 

New-York, where we landed the fame year : my 
brother was fent to the college in that city, and 
I remained under the care of a governefs. In 
the year 1774, my mother-in-law died, leaving to 
my father her fortune, for in her marriage articles 
fhe had referved to herfelf the power of difpofing 
of it. Six months after her death, my father took to 
himje If another wife^ one of the lovelieft of her fex. 
In her bofom, virtue, honour and conjugal affec- 
tion were blended ; but alas ! her fate deflined her 
for an early grave. Ten months after her mar- 
riage, fhe died in childbirth of her infant fon, my 
youngefl brother, leaving him and myfelf under 
the care of her brother, Mr. Frederick Jay, who 
was then member of congrefs for the province of 
New-York : at this time my father was with Gen- 
eral Gage, at Boflon. Thus I found myfelf in 
the midfl of republicans in war againfl: the crown 
of Great-Britain, — perfecuted on every fide, be- 
caufe my father was fighting for the caufe of a 
king! — At the age of thirteen, I was fent to board 
at Elizabeth-Town, New-Jerfey, with the family 
of an American Colonel, where I was forced to 
hear my nearefl and dearefl relations continually 

traduced. 



( 23 ) 

traduced. I had remained in the houfe of this 
gentleman feveral months, when the appearance 
of General Howe at Staten-Ifland obliged the in- 
habitants of Elizabeth-Town to feek refuge in the 
interior part of the country. I was then con- 
duced, with Colonel Banker's wife, to a village 
about ten miles diftant ; but grieved with the 
gloomy fcene before me, I availed myfelf of the 
abfence of the family one Sunday, while they were 
at church, to make my efcape : I rode back to 
Elizabeth-Town, and placed myfelf immediately 
under the care of a lady* (Mrs. de Hart) whofe 
family loved me from my tendereft infancy. How- 
ever, I was not allowed to remain long in this 
retreat ; the congrefs, particularly that part of it 
v/hich were related to my father by his fecond and 
third WIVES, fixed their attention upon me : — 
They had repeatedly, at the commencement of 
the war, offered my father a command in the north- 
ern army, a fituation which was afterwards given to 

General 



* The hufband of this lady was member of the continental congrefs, 
and immediately refigned his fituation on the independence of America 
being declared. 



( ^4 ) 

General Montgomery/ his nephew. Bigotted to 
the caufe of a king, my father rejedled their offers, 
and thus we lofl the glorious opportunity of add- 
ing the laurel of patriotifm to a name high in the 
ranks of military valour, and perhaps unequalled 
in military fcience. No man ever ferved the 
Britifh monarch with more fidelity, or fought for 
him with greater bravery : but I was very near 
falling a vidim to this ftubborn attachment. 
Walking one fultry day in the garden of my pro- 
tedrefs, I was befet by a party of riflemen, jufl 
arrived from Pennfylvania, who, prefenting their 
bayonets to my breafl:, would certainly have kill- 
ed me, had not one of the men took compaffion 
on my youth, difcovering in my features fome- 
thing which conquered his favage purpofe. — 
Thanks be to God ! my countrymen did not com- 
mit an a6l which certainly would have ftained the 
bright immortal caufe of liberty — a caufe that, 
I glory to fay, firft ftruck root in my dear native 
country, and which is now expanding its branches 
through the whole continent of Europe. 

My beautiful and unfortunate countrywoman, 

Mifs 



( ^5 ) 

Mifs M^Rea/ experienced a far different fate: fhe, 
alas ! found no mercy ; her charms ferved only to 
ftimulate the furious paffions of her brutal ra- 
vifhers : arrayed in her bridal robes, awaiting the 
arrival of him, the lover, who was to crown her 
joys, in the fight of a Britifh foldiery , under the 
command of Briti/h officers, fhe was three times 
violated by Canadian favages in Briti/h pay, and 
afterwards, (oh horrible to relate!) in cold blood, 
Jcalped and murdered ! 

Delivered from the only favages I ever met 
amongft my own countrymen, I applied for protec- 
tion to Mr. William Livingfton,' my firft ftep- 
mother's brother, who was the governor of New- 
Jerfey. He behaved to me with harflinefs, and 
even added infult to his reproaches. Thus def- 
titute of friends, I wrote to General Putnam, 
who inftantly anfwered my letter by a very kind 
invitation to his houfe, afluring me, that he re- 
fpefted my father, and was only his enemy in the 
field of battle ; but that in private life, he him- 
felf, or any part of his family, might always com- 
mand his fervices. On the next day, he fent 

Colonel 



( ^6 ) 

Colonel Webb, one of his aid-de-camps, to condudl 
me to New-York. When I arrived in Broadway 
(a ftreet fo called) where General Putnam refided, 
I was received with the greateft tendernefs both 
by Mrs. Putnam and her daughters, and on the 
following day I was introduced by them to Gen- 
eral and Mrs. Wafhington, who likewife made 
it their ftudy to fhew me every mark of regard ; 
but I feldom was allowed to be alone, although 
fometimes indeed I found an opportunity to ef- 
cape to the gallery on the top of the houfe,* 
where my chief delight was to view with a tele- 
fcope our fleet and army at Staten-Ifland. My 
amufements were few ; the good Mrs. Putnam 
employed me and her daughters confl:antly to 
fpin flax for fliirts for the American foldiery ; 
indolence in America being totally difcouraged ; 
and I likewife worked fome for General Putnam, 
who, though not an accompliflied Mufcadin^ like 
our Dilletantis of St. James's-ftreet, was certain- 
ly one of the beft characters in the world, his 

heart 



* Almoft every gentleman's houfe in New-York has a gallery, with a 
fummer-houfe, on the top. 



( 27 ) 

heart being compofed of thofe noble materials 
which equally command refped: and admiration. 
One day after dinner, the congrefs was the toaft ; 
General Wailiington viewed me very attentively, 
and farcaftically faid, " Mifs MoncriefFe, you 
*' don't drink your wine." EmbarraiTed by this 
reproof, 1 knew not how to ad: ; at laft, as if by 
a fecret impulfe, I addreffed myfelf to the Ameri- 
can commander, and taking the wine, 1 faid, 
'' General Howe is the toaft." — Vexed at my 
temerity, the whole company, efpecially General 
Wafhington, cenfured me; when my good friend. 
General Putnam, as ufual, apologifed, and affured 
them I did not mean to offend; " Befides," replied 
he, "every thing faid or done by fuch a child 
" ought rather to amufe than affront you."— General 
Wafhington, piqued at this obfervation, then 
faid, ''Well, Mifs, I will overlook ypur indif- 
'' cretion, on condition that you drink my 
" health, or General Putnam's, the firft time 
'' you dine at Sir William Howe's table, on the 
'' other fide of the water." 

Thefe words conveyed to me a flattering hope 
4 that 



( 2S ) 

that I fhould once more fee my father, and I 
promifed General Wafhington to do any thing 
which he required, provided he would permit me 
to return to him. 



Not long after this circumftance, a flag of 
truce arrived from Staten-Ifland, with letters 
from Major MoncriefFe, demanding me, for he 
now confidered me as a prifoner. General Wafli- 
ington would not acquiefce in this demand, fay- 
ing, ^' that I fliould remain a hoftage for my 
" father's good behaviour." I muft here ob- 
ferve, that when General Wafhington refufed to 
deliver me up, the noble-minded Putnam,* as if 
it were by inftind, laid his hand on his fword, 
and with a violent oath fwore, " that my father's 
'' requeft jhould be granted." The commander 
in chief, whofe influence governed the congrefs, 
foon prevailed on them to conflder me as a per- 
fon whofe fituation required their ftrid: atten- 
tion ;'•' and, that I might not efcape, they ordered 

me 



■^■' My father's knowledge of the country induced General Wafhington to 
ufe every expedient in order to feduce him from the Royal caufe, and he 



I 29 ) 

me to King's-Bridge, where, in juftice, I muft 
fay, that I was treated with the utmoft tender- 
nefs : General Mifflin' there commanded ; his 
lady was a moft accomplifhed, beautiful woman, 
a quaker ; and here my heart received its firft 
impreffion, — an impreffion, that amidft the fub- 
fequent Ihocks which it has received, has never 
been effaced, and which rendered me very unfit 
to admit the embraces of an unfeeling, brutifh 
hujband. 

Oh ! may thefe pages one day meet the eye of 
him who fubdued my virgin heart, whom the im- 
mutable, unerring laws of nature had pointed 
out for my hufband, but whofe facred decree the 
barbarous cuftoms of fociety fatally violated. To 
him I plighted my virgin vow, and I fhall never 
ceafe to lament, that obedience to 2i father left it 
incomplete. When I refled on my paft fuffer- 
ings, now that, alas ! my prejent forrows prefs 
heavily upon me, I cannot refrain from expatiat- 
ing a little on the inevitable horrors which ever 

attend 

knew there was none more likely to fucceed than that of attacking his pa- 
rental feelings. 



( 30 ) 

attend the frustration of natural affections : I 
myfelf, who, unpitied by the world, have endured 
every calamity that human nature knows, am a 
melancholy example of this truth ; for if I know 
my own heart, it is far better calculated for the 
purer joys of domeftic life, than for that hurri- 
cane of extravagance and diffipation on which I 
have been wrecked. — 

Why is the will of nature fo often perverted ? 
Why is focial happinefs for ever facrificed at the 
altar of prejudice ? Avarice has ufurped the 
throne of reafon, and the affediions of the heart 
are not confulted. We cannot command our 
defires, and when the obje6l of our being is un- 
attained, mifery muft be neceffarily our doom. 
Let this truth, therefore, be for ever remem- 
bered : when once an affedlion has rooted itfelf 
in a tender, conftant heart, no time, no circum- 
ftance can eradicate it. Unfortunate, then, are 
they who are joined, if their hearts are not 
matched! — 

— With this conquerer of my foul, how happy 
fhould I now have been ! — What ftorms and 

tempefts 



( 31 ) 

tempefts fliould I have avoided, (at leaft I am 
pleafed to think fo) if I had been allowed to fol- 
low the bent of my inclinations ! and happier, 
oh ! ten thoufand times happier fhould I have 
been with him, in the wildeft defert of our native 
country^ the woods affording us our only fhelter, and 
their fruits our only repaft, than under the canopy 
of coftly ftate, with all the refinements and em- 
bellifhments of courts, with the royal warrior who 
would fain have proved himfelf the conqueror of 
France ! 

My conqueror was engaged in another caufe, he 
was ambitious to obtain other laurels : he fought 
to liberate, not to enflave nations — He was a 
Colonel in the American army, and high in the 
eftimation of his country : his vidlories were never 
accompanied with one gloomy, relenting thought; 
they fhone as bright as the caufe which atchieved 
them ! I had communicated, by letter to General 
Putnam, the propofals of this gentleman, with 
my determination to accept them, and I was 
embarraffed by the anfwer which the General 
returned ; he intreated me to remember, that the 

perfon 



( 3^ ) 

perfon in queftion, from his political principles, 
was extremely obnoxious to my father, and 
concluded by obferving, " That I furely would 
" not unite myfelf with a man who, in his zeal 
'' for the caufe of his country, would not hefitate 
" to drench his fword in the blood of my neareft 
''relation, fhould he be oppofed to him in 
''battle." Saying this, he lamented the neceffity 
of giving advice contrary to his own fentiments, 
fince, in every other refpedl, he confidered the 
match as unexceptionable. — Neverthelefs, Gene- 
ral Putnam, after this difcovery, appeared, in all 
his vifits to King's-Bridge, extremely referved ; 
his eyes were conftantly fixed on me ; nor did he 
ever ceafe to make me the objed of his concern 
to congrefs ; and, after various applications, he 
fucceeded in obtaining leave for my departure, 
when, in order that I fhould go to Staten-Ifland 
with the refpe6l due to my fex and family, the 
barge belonging to the continental congrefs was 
ordered with twelve oars, and a general officer, 
together with his fuite, was difpatchcd to fee me 
fafe acrofs the bay of New-York. The day was 
fo very tempeftuous, that I was half drowned with 

the 



( 33 ) 

the waves dafhing againft me. When we came 
within hail of the Eagle man of war, which was 
Lord Howe's fhip, a flag of truce was fent to 
meet us : the officer difpatched on this occafion 
was Lieutenant Brown. General Knox' told him 
that he had received orders to fee me fafe to head- 
quarters. Lieutenant Brown replied, '' It was 
'' impoffible, as no perfon from the enemy could 
"approach nearer the Englifh fleet;" but added, 
'^ that if I would place myfelf under his protec- 
'' tion, he certainly would attend me thither." I 
then entered the barge, and bidding an eternal 
farewell to my dear American friends, turned my 

BACK ON LIBERTY ! 

— We firfl: rowed alongfide the' Eagle, and 
Mr. Brown afterwards conveyed me to head- 
quarters. When my name was announced, the 
Britifh commander in chief lent Colonel Sheriff, 
(lately made a General, and who, during my 
father's life-time, was one of his moft particular 
friends, although, alas ! the endearing fentiment 
of friendfhip now feems extind: in his breaft, as 
far as the unhappy daughter is concerned) with 

an 



( 34 ) 

an invitation from Sir William Howe^ to dinner, 
which was neceflarily accepted. When intro- 
duced, I cannot defcribe the emotion I felt ; fo 
fudden the tranfition in a few hours, that I was 
ready to fink into the earth ! Judge the diftrefs 
of a girl not fourteen, obliged to encounter the 
curious, inquifitive eyes of at leaft forty or fifty 
people, who were at dinner with the General. 
Fatigued with their fafiiidious compliments, I 
could only hear the buz amongfi: them, faying, 
"She is a fweet girl, fiie is divinely handfome;" 
although it was fome relief to be placed at table 
next the wife of Major Montrefor,^ who had 
known me from my infancy. Owing to this cir- 
cumfliance, I recovered a degree of confidence ; 
but being unfortunately aiked, agreeably to mili- 
tary etiquette, for a toaft^ 1 gave General Putnam : 
Colonel Sheriff faid, in a low voice, " You mufl: 
not give him here:" when Sir William Howe 
complaifantly replied, " O ! by all means ; if he 
" be the lady's fweetheart^ I can have no objection 
" to drink his health." This involved me in a 
new dilemma ; 1 wifhed myfelf a thoufand miles 
difl:ant ; and to divert the attention of the com- 
pany. 



{ 35 ) 

pany, I gave to the General a letter, that I had 
been commifTioned to deliver from General Put- 
nam, of which the following is a copy — (And 
here I confider myfelf bound to apologize for the 
bad fpelling of my moft excellent republican 
friend. The bad orthography was amply com- 
penfated by the magnanimity of the man who 
wrote it.) — ^'^ Ginrole''' Putnam's compliments to 
'' Major Moncrieffe, has made him a prefent of a 
" fine daughter, if he dont Ikkj" her he mufi: fend 
*^ her back again, and he will provide her with a 
" fine good twig hufband." The fubftitution of 
twig for whig hufband, ferved as a fund of enter- 
tainment to the company. 

Immediately the General informed me that my 
father was with Lord Percy,J and obligingly faid, 
'' that a carriage fhould be provided to convey me 
''to him," gallantly adding, '' amongft fo many 
''gentlemen a beautiful young lady certainly could 
" not want a cecifbeo to condud her." — Knowing 

Colonel 

"'•" For General, -j- For like. 

J Now Duke of Northumberland, 



( 36 ) 

Colonel Small from my earlieft youth, I afked him 
to render me that fervice, to which he confented. — 
Lord Percy' then lived nine miles diftant from 
head-quarterSj and when we arrived at his houfe, 
my father was walking on the lawn with his Lord- 
fhip. — Colonel Small/* apprehenfive of theconfe- 
quences which might enfue from a too abrupt 
introdudiion, delicately hinted to him that I was 
at Sir William Howe's. — Lord Percy, equally 
impatient to fee me, replied, " Heaven be praifed ! 
" Major, let us inftantly go and condud: her 
" hither." Such trouble was however unnecef- 
fary : In a few minutes, I was introduced, when^ 
overcome by the emotions of filial tendernefs, I 
fainted in my father's arms, where I remained in 
a flate of infenfibility during half an hour ; at 
length I recovered, and mutual congratulations 
pafTed on all fides, when it became neceffary to 
confider in what manner I was to be difpofed of, 
fince all his Lordihip's /uite flept in marquees : 
but the hofpitality of this nobleman rofe above 
ceremony, and that the daughter fhould not fo 
foon again be feparated from her father, he ordered 
one of his own apartments to be prepared for me. 

Here 



( 37 ) 

Here I lived happy, till the Royal Army quitted 
Staten-Ifland. — A fortnight previous thereto, my 
father had been appointed Major of Brigade to 
the divifion commanded by Lord Cornwallis ; an 
event that afforded us infinite fatisfedion. With 
the uncle of this Lord he had begun his military 
career, having received his firft commilTion from 
that General in Flanders; and I am rejoiced in 
having now the opportunity of publifhing to the 
world, that his merit alone raifed him to the con- 
fidence of his patron, and to the rank he after- 
wards held in his profeffion. 

General Cornwallis,'" as a proof of his efteem 
for my father, intreated that he might adopt his 
eldeft fon, now a Lieutenant in the 6oth regi- 
ment of foot, and who bears the name of Edward 
Cornwallis, in addition to that of Moncrieffe. 
Soon after our departure from Lord Percy's, the 
Royal Army, having left Staten-Ifiand, made 
good their landing on Long-Ifiand, where my 
father was taken prifoner at the battle of Brook- 
lyn^^ and ftripped of his regimentals, was forced 
to put on the Red Ribbon^ (a mark which the 

Americans 



( 38 ) 

Americans wore, in order to diftinguifh their 
own ftafF officers ;) and while he was endeavour- 
ing to perfuade the men to furrender themfelves 
to the Royal Army, they were furrounded by a 
party of Heffians/^ who miftaking my father, 
conceived him, from the badge he had on, to be 
a Colonel of the enemy : In vain he remon- 
ftrated ; they made him affift to draw the heavy 
cannon, in which laborious exercife he was recog- 
nifed by a Colonel in the Britifh Army : the 
Heffian officer, confufed on difcovering his error, 
confequently made every due apology. This 
event frequently caufed us much entertainment. 
The fuccefs of rhe Royalifts foon reftored to us 
the poffieffion of our property at New- York, 
where we were no fooner fettled, than my father 
fent an invitation to the widow of a gentleman 
(who had been formerly a Paymafter-general of 
the Britifh forces) requefhing her to accept his 
houfe as an afylum : his objedl in fo doing was 
on my account, his public iituation obliging him 
to be ever abfent from home. — I had now ac- 
quired a number of admirers ; but having pofi- 
tively renounced all thoughts of marriage^ I ob- 
tained 



( 39 ) 

tained confent to depart for England with 
Colonel and Mrs. Horsfall, who were to embark 
in the month of March, 1777. It was then 
refolved that, on my arrival in England, I Ihould 
be placed at Queen's Square boarding-fchool. — 
How vain is it for mortals to anticipate plans 
which Providence in an inftant can entirely de- 
ftroy! 

Mr. Coghlan,'' my prefent hufband, faw me at 
an aflembly, when, without either confulting my 
hearty or deigning to afk my permiffion, he in- 
ftantly demanded me in marriage, and won my 
father to his purpofe. — In a favage mind, which 
only confidered fenfual enjoyments, affedlion was 
not an objed, for I told him at the time he had 
not any affection, and conjured him in the moft 
perfuafive terms, to ad; as a man of honour and 
humanity : his reply was congenial with his cha- 
racter ; he valued not any refufal on my part^ fo 
long as he had the Major's confent ; and, with a 
dreadful oath, he fwore, '' that my obftinacy 
Ihould not avail me." Indeed, my refufal ligni- 
fied nothing ; he infinuated himfelf fo far in my 

father's 



( 40 ) 

father's confidence, as to draw upon me the anger 
of a parent, to whofe difpleafure I had never 
been accuftomed, and whofe rebukes I had not 
refolution to refift : Confined to my own apart- 
ment, I was forbid his prefence, unlefs prepared 
to receive the hulband he had provided for me. 
Wretched in mind, fmarting under the fad re- 
verfe, I who had only known the heart-cheering 
fmiles of parental fondnefs, to become the objedl 
of parental anger ! the idea overcame me, and 
befieged^ at the fame time, by the pathetic in- 
treaties of a much-loved brother, I unhappily 
yielded, and here fate dafhed me on a rock which 
has deflroyed my peace of mind in this world, 
and may, perhaps, have paved my way to eternal 
torments in another. 

Unable, as I have faid, to refufe the earnefh 
folicitations of a brother, my earlieft and dearefl 
friend, I took to my bed a viper, who has Hung 
me even unto death, who has hurled me from the 
rank to which I was born^ and for ever banifhed 
me from all thofe amiable enjoyments of fociety, 
without which life is a vacuum not to be endured. 

In 



( 41 ) 

In confequence of thefe fatal intreaties, I was 
married to Mr. John Coghlan, on the 28th of 
February, 1777, at New-York, by fpecial licence, 
granted by Sir William Tryon," who was then 
Civil Governor of that province. At this period, 
I was only fourteen years and a few months old ; 
fo early did I fall a melancholy vi6lim to the 
hafty decifion of well-meaning, but alas ! mofl 
miftaken relations. My union with Mr. Cogh- 
lan 1 never confidered in any other light, than 
an honourable proftitution, as I really hated the 
man whom they had compelled me to marry. 

As the prelude was inaufpicious, fo did a dif- 
mal omen fucceed our wedding. The worthy 
Dodor Auchmuty,''' who was then Redor of 
New-York, and had married us that evening, 
complained on the fame evening, while at fupper, 
of indifpofition, and three days afterwards he 
finifhed his mortal race. — We were the laft couple 
married by this truly amiable man, this exem- 
plary pattern of true chriftian piety But when 

he joined our hands, (I cannot fay our hearts,) he 
wedded me^ as I before obferved, to a feries of 

wretchednefs. 



[ 42 ) 

wretchednefsj from which Heaven alone holds 
forth a profped: of relief. 

Educated in the fchool of virtue, and, I truft, 
naturally averje to thofe fcenes of vice in which 
my unhappy fhars have fince involved me ; let my 
example ferve as a falutary caution to other 
brothers — to other fathers — how they attempt to 
influence the choice, or to force the inclinations 
of inexperienced female youth, on a point where 
every thing mofi: facred is concerned. 

— Let the compulfion pradlifed on me apologife 
with the liberal mind for the tranfgreffions of 
youth, doomed to the chains of a detefted mar- 
riage. — Had it been my lot to have been united 
in wedlock with the man of my affe£fions^ my foul 
and body might now have been all purity, and 
the world would not then have lofl: a being, natu- 
rally focial, generous, and humane. 

A few months after our nuptials, Mr. Coghlan 
was ordered, with his regiment, to Philadelphia, 
whither he repaired, leaving me at Long-Ifland 

with 



( 43 ) 

with my father — For feveral months, I never 
received any letter from him, a circumftance which 
caufed great difpleafure to all my relations ; but to 
me, it was of little confequence, as my greateft 
happinefs was to remain peaceably at home with 
my family. — However, this fatisfadion was not 
long enjoyed. One evening, as I was fitting with 
my father, the arrival of my hufband was an- 
nounced ; the mafter of the houfe received him 
with open arms, but I met him with an air of 
dijguft^ having never learned the fecret to difguife 
my genuine feelings* In the courfe of converfa- 
tion, we difcovered that he had fold out of the 
army in defiance of his father's pofitive com- 
mands ; and that it was his intention inflantly to 
embark for England, where he propofed that I 
fhould accompany him. — Thus I was forced from 
the paternal roof of my only friend, my natural 
protestor, 

Mr. Coghlan took lodgings at New-York, 
where he introduced me to libertines, and to 
women of doubtful chara6ler. In this city we 
remained about a month, when a convoy being 

6 ready 



{ 44 ) 

ready to fail for Cork, we embarked on the 8th 
of February, 17785 and had not been many days 
at fea before my hufband, freed from all reftraint, 
from the protection that I had enjoyed under my 
father's roof, threw off the malk of deception, 
and appeared in his true native chara6ler, the 
brutifh unfeeling tyrant ! never omitting an oppor- 
tunity to perfecute and torment me. Innumer- 
able cruelties did I endure from this man while 
on our paflage ; and fo unrelenting was he in his 
barbarous treatment, that it at length became 
public in the ihip, and obliged Captain Kidd, 
the commander, to take notice of it, threatening 
to confine him as a madman, if he perfevered in 
his inhuman career.'-' In three weeks after our 
departure from New-York, the fleet difcovered 
land ; but beat oflF by fl:rong eafterly winds, we 
could not make Cape Clear, fo that the Captain 
was obliged to take all the fhips he had under 
convoy into Crook Haven, a fmall port in the 
wefl: of Ireland. — The veflels no fooner came to 
anchor, than my tyrant fent his horfe afhore, which 

he 

* Vide the libel exhibited by me againft my hufband, which remains on 
record in the Ecclefiastical Court. 



( 45 ) 

he had brought from America; leaving me, young 
and unproteded, in the midft of fix or feven 
hundred men, for the fpace of fourteen days, 
without a fmgle individual of my own fex in the 
whole fleet. Thus I was expofed to various in- 
fults, for when my hufband openly abandoned 
me, it was natural to conclude that others would 
not be remifs in pra6lifing their arts of fedud:ion 
againfl: me. 

When the wind became favourable, we again 
failed, and landed at the Cove of Cork. On my 
arrival in the latter city, I was received by the 
Mayor, a near relation of my hulband's, who foon 
introduced me to him ; I was pleafed to find that 
he made fome apologies for having left me fo 
abruptly, remarking, that it was in confequence 
of fome liberties he conceived Captain Kidd had 
taken with him. 

During my fliay at Cork, which lafted ten days, 
I was treated with all pofTible civility and refped:. 
From hence we went to Dublin, where, on our 
arrival, my uncle. Alderman MoncrieiFe, (who is 

now 



( 46 ) 

now one of the chief magiftrates and Lord Mayor 
ele6l of that city) exprefled great difpleafure on 
hearing that I had remained fo long at Crook 
Haven, under the circumftances I have defcribed. 
- — In a few days Mr. Coghlan, leaving me with 
my uncle, went over to England, where he re- 
mained one month. While he had been abfent, 
and in London, his mind had been poifoned by a 
variety of calumnies that some good-natured 
friends had infinuated againft me. — On his re- 
turn, he roundly told me, that he had taken an 
old manlion in Wales, for the exprefs purpofe of 
fecluding me from the world; that his defign was 
to break my fpirit; and if that would not do, to 
break my heart. — In vain I pradifed every art in 
my power to fruftrate this inhuman projed; but 
finding all my intreaties and exertions inelFedual, 
I pofitively told both him and my uncle I was 
determined not to remain in Wales ; and boldly 
declared, that I would leave him and fly to my 
father's friends in England. — He, however, pe- 
remptorily perfifted in his refolution, and I be- 
lieve has fince lamented his folly. When we had 
reached the inn at Conway (on our way to the 

Old 



( 47 ) 

Old Manfion) all my thoughts were bent on an 
efcape, and the very firfl moment he left me alone, 
I fled from my tormentor, and fought my way 
acrofs the mountains, destitute of money, and 
without a hut to aflxDrd me fhelter from the in- 
clemency of the weather ; but fupported by the 
native innocence of my own heart, I efcaped from 
the great regardlefs of all lefl^er evils. I encoun- 
tered many difficulties on the road : youth, how- 
ever, and perfeverance, enabled me to furmount 
them all. — Lovers prefixed around me at every 
inn : Hibernia's gallant fons, fome of whom had 
feen me in Dublin, made the mofl: liberal offers, 
and uttered the warmeft vows ; they would have 
efcorted me to London, or to any other part of 
the world ; but I turned a deaf ear to their pro- 
teftations, and continued my pedefl:rian journey, 
an innocent, folitary fugitive ! From my juvenile 
appearance, I naturally became an objed of fuf- 
picion to the different inn-keepers, who confider- 
ed me as an amorous adventurer, run away from 
my parents ; but on a candid recital of my art- 
lefs tale, and on my repofmg implicit confidence 
in them, they confented to affift and facilitate my 

flight. 



( 48 ) 

flight. — When I arrived at Namptwich, I wrote 
to Lord Thomas Clinton, (now Lord Lincoln) 
who had been on very intimate terms with my 
friends in America. 

Here, perhaps, my condu6l was imprudent, 
although, I trufl:, not altogether guilty ; never- 
thelefs, this ad: of indifcretion has pofTibly occa- 
fioned many of the fubfequent miferies that I 
have fmce endured. — My letter to his Lordfliip 
was immediately anfwered by Mr. Jackfon, (at- 
torney to Lord Thomas) inclofmg, by his Lord- 
fhip's order, twenty pounds, and containing a 
requeft from him, that I fhould conflder myfelf 
under his prote6lion, flgnifying, that Mr. Cogh- 
lan had challenged him, in confequence of fome 
fufpicions which he entertained concerning an 
amorous attachment between his Lordfliip and 
myfelf. 

I had forgot to mention, that my hufl^and 
purfued me from Conway, but taking a different 
rout^ mifl^ed his obje6l. When he arrived in 
London, he inftantly repaired to the houfe of 

General 



( 49 ) 

General Gage/* who hinted to him the probability 
of his finding me with Lord Thomas, the Gene- 
ral having heard a report to that purpofe. — 
Alarmed by this intelligence, he fent for his 
brother-in-law, Mr. Phipps, (the late member 
for Peterborough) who accompanied him to Sun- 
ning-Hill, at which place Lord Thomas then 
refided. He immediately accufed the latter of 
having been my feducer, infifted on fearching 
the houfe, and in cafe of refufal, declared that he 
was prepared, and would infift on that fatisfac- 
tion to which an injured hufband was entitled. 
Fortunately, fome gentlemen, who were on a 
vifit to his Lordfhip, interfered, and affured Mr. 
Coghlan that / was not in the houfe ; when, after 
much perfuaiion, he was induced to return to 
London, at the fame time denouncing vengeance 
if he fhould hereafter difcover that any deception 
had been pradifed upon him. — I have never 
ceafed to rejoice that this affair had no fatal 
cataftrophe. My hufband's temper was natu- 
rally violent ; and, born in a country where the 
barbarous prejudice of duelling bears fuch abfo- 
lute fway, the noble Lord might have fallen a 

vi(5lim 



( 50 ) 

vidim to this favage cuftom — the illuftrious 
houfe of Newcaftle might have been deprived of 
their heir, and thus another hope of a puijfant 
family have been loft. 

— Amongft a brave and enlightened people, 
who have always difplayed the moft exemplary 
valour in defending their rights, and whofe gener- 
ous volunteers, led on, in the hour of danger, 
by the patriots Grattan, Charlemont, Leinfter, 
and other noble chiefs, have never hefitated to 
make the deareft facrifice for the public fafety, it 
cannot be too much lamented, that heroes fo 
prodigal of life fhould not have courage to 
oppofe and annihilate a barbarifm which has for 
many centuries fixed a ftigma on a country in 
every other refpedl amiable, and whofe bravery 
and gallantry are univerfally renowned through 
all the nations of the world. 

I am forry to remark, to the utter difgrace of 
Lord Clinton, that his behaviour to me, when I 
fell within his power, was fuch as refleds dif- 
honour both on his head and heart. In the former, 

I 



( 51 ) 

I at once difcovered a vacancy ; it did not, there- 
fore, afterwards furprife me to find a canker in the 
latter, having always remarked a weak head and 
an unprincipled mind to be perfectly congenial to 
each other. ThAsfoi dijant nobleman meanly pro- 
pofed to furrender me, young and beautiful as I 
was then confidered, (and at the fame time under 
his immediate care) to the arms of one of his liber- 
tine companions, only anxious to avoid the me- 
naces of an enraged Hibernian, and to fecure him- 
felf from an aftion of damages. — Such an a6l, 
committed by a man of inferior birth, would have 
difgraced him among his fellows ; while the noble 
derives from thence additional /^/^^d", and a breach 
of every moral duty in the higher circles is re- 
garded as mere fafliionable levity, as the elegant 
nonchalance of polite life. — In that clafs, diftinc- 
tion keeps pace with vice^ and a ftrid: obfervance 
of morality is deemed dulnefs and infipidity. 

After what I have faid of nobility, let me be 
permitted to make one honourable exception : I 
fhould be ungrateful indeed, and belie the feel- 
ings of my foul, if I did not proclaim my dear 

7 friendj 



• ( 52 ) ( 

friend^ Lord Hervey, a nobleman pofTeffing 
honour, generofity, and affedion — His heart, 
always open to the congenial feelings of humanity, 
never refufed obedience to its facred impulfe. I 
knew him in his prime of youth, and although now 
lome years have palTed fince I enjoyed the happi- 
nefs of feeing him, I am pleafed to flatter my- 
felf that his foul has efcaped the politician's lot, 
— that it has not become hardened and corrupt. 

How often have I obferved him check the 
manly tear which had infl:ind:ively fl:arted in his 
eye on a recital of my misfortunes ! and how 
flncerely has he appeared to lament the want of 
power to reilore me to that fituation which I was 
born to fill in the world ! — While living under 
the protection of Lord Clinton, I endured many 
unhappy hours, and my affliction did not pafs 
unobferved by my attendants. — One day I was 
furprifed in tears, by my own woman, to whom 
1 related my fl:ory, as nothing affords more relief 
to a diftreffed mind, than giving vent to its for- 
rows : this compaflionate creature, who was by 
no means privy to his Lordfhip's plans, advifed 

me 



( 53 ) 

me to attempt a reconciliation with my hufband, 
which advice I rejected ; but, having written a 
penitent letter to my friend, (the Honourable 
Mrs. Gage)'' into whofe hands I defired it to be 
delivered. General Gage himfelf, who was ever 
during his life a'friend to my family, contrary to 
^be opinion of his lady^ fetched me inflantly away 
from my lodgings in Lower-Seymour-ftreet, and 
informed Mr. Coghlan's father that tht fair fugi- 
tive was found ; when they held a confultation 
refpedling my future deftination, the refult of 
which was, that it would be prudent for me to 
retire to a convent in France. In this opinion I 
acquiefced, and confequently departed for Calais, 
where I hired apartments in the Dominican con- 
vent. I had not been long in this gloomy 
retirement, before I was furprifed with a vifit 
from Lord Thomas Clinton, who informed me 
of the death of his brother, the late Lord Lin- 
coln, — and was pleafed to fay, that his objed: in 
coming to Calais was to know if I was happy. 
Youth is the feafon of credulity, and flattery 
never yet was unwelcome to 2i female ear. Being 
myfelf naturally of a lively temper, I could but 

ill 



( 54 ) 

ill adapt my ideas to the difmal folitude of a 
monallery, or to the melancholy habits of its 
fuperilitious inhabitants, and a circumftance* had 
lately happened, which had determined me to 
quit my prefent companions. I knew it was in 
vain to afk permiffion from my friends to return 
to England, as it had been determined by them 
that I fhould continue three years in the convent, 
and abjolute orders had been given to the fupe- 
rior, that no ftranger fhould be admitted to fee 
me, unlefs he brought letters from them. I 
mentioned this circumftance to Lord Lincoln, 
but he was too well acquainted with the fecret 
virtue of that golden key which he poflefled, to pay 
attention to fuch orders. The fcrupulous deli- 
cacy of Madame Gray, fuperior of the convent, 
could not refift the magic of this key ; her virtue 
yielded, and I confequently dined with his Lord- 
fhip, nor ever more returned to my difinterested 

friend 



■^- Alluding to a ceremonv annually obferved on All Saints Day, or the 
Refurreftion of Souls, when the bones and fculls of the dead, which had 
long before been peaceably configned to their mother Earth, together with 
a coffin, are placed in the chapel of the convent, where all the ladies of the 
fociety are made to attend the doleful fcene at midnight. 



( 55 ) 

friend, Madame Gray, but agreeable to his Lord- 
fhip's advice, took my pafTage to England. 



The Nuns, alarmed at my flight, wrote to my 
friends, excufing themfelves from having been 
privy to my efcape, and imputing the whole 
blame to the woman whofe bufinefs it is to walk 
out with the penfioners, as being auxiliary to my 
departure. — Soon after my arrival in London, 
General Gage was informed of my return, and 
of the place where I had taken up my refidence. 
He immediately difpatched Major Brown to my 
lodgings, and by him I was acquainted with the 
mifery which my father fuffered on my account. 
Unable to endure the thought of aflliding the 
tendereft of parents, whom I moft affedionately 
loved, I was eafily induced to forego thofe vifion- 
ary and fatal fchemes of happinefs, which my 
imagination had formed. Thus reflored to m.y 
friends, I was fixed by Mrs. Gage with a refpedl- 
able family near Grofvenor Square. 

Sir Charles Gould, who was in habits of cor- 
refpondence with Major Moncrieffe,'' paid the 
expenfes of my board, at the Major s defire. 

Here 



( 56 ) 

Here I remained two years, at the expiration of 
which time Mrs. Gage informed me that fhe had 
received letters from my father, wherein he ex- 
prefled his wifhes that I would form fome plan 
whereby to gain a future livelihood ; that as by 
my imprudence I had rendered it impoffible for 
him to countenance me as his daughter, he ad- 
vifed me to endeavour to learn the mantua- 
making bufinefs. The propofal I rejecfled, con- 
sidering that 1 was entitled to a feparate mainte- 
nance from my hufband, proportionate to his 
fortune. Thus embarraffed, I waited on Lord 
Amherft,'' informing him of my unhappy mar- 
riage. His Lordfhip remembered me when in 
my nurfe's arms, which recolle(5lion/^<:^r^^ me in 
him a zealous advocate and mediator with my 
father ; at the fame time flattering me with hopes 
of fuccefs. On hearing the intention of the 
latter, his Lordfhip was equally furprifed with 
myfelf : he inflantly exclaimed, '' This furely 
''would be a curious method to reftore you to 
" the paths of virtue ;" adding, " that he had a 
" bad opinion of fuch trades for young women." 

—My 



( 57 ) 

— My father was a man of rigid, auftere prin- 
ciples, whenever virtue or honour were in quef- 
tion, however indulgent he might be himfelf on 
other occafions. The feverity he manifested in 
this inftance does not derogate in the leaft from 
his ufual charadier ; the adual dishonour of a 
beloved daughter pleads a fufficient excufe for 
any harfhnefs which I may have experienced 
from him. 

Thus deferted, I became almoft frantic ; I left the 
family where Mrs. Gage had placed me, and paid 
a vifit to the man whofe counfels I ought to have 
jfhunned. At his Lordfhip's houfe I was received 
a welcome gueft : on feeing me, \\^JatiricallyJmiled^ 
and faid, " he hoped I had now fufficiently felt the 
'' rod of correction, and that it would teach me to 
"be regardlefs of every other confideration but 
'' that of improving my own fortune." — At this 
period. Lord Lincoln was engaged in a contefted 
eledion for the city of Weftminfter, with that 
bright luminary of genius who ftill fhines with 
fuch refplendent effulgence in the political world, 
the Right Honourable Charles Fox.'° — I was 

now 



( 58 ) 

now feventeen years old, and felt a natural incli- 
nation for the ftage : on this fubjed I confulted 
a friend of my father's, Colonel Etherington, who 
advifed me to procure an introduction to the 
manager of Drury-Lane Theatre. Accident, at 
this jund:ure, brought me acquainted with the 
Right Honourable Gentleman juil mentioned, 
(Mr. Fox) whofe interefl: I folicited with Mr. 
Sheridan,^' and he, with his ufual goodnefs, 
recommended me to the latter gentleman, and it 
was then my intention to have made my debut at 
Drury-Lane Houfe, the following winter. 

The frequent opportunities I at this time 
enjoyed of feeing Mr. Fox, whofe aifedlions were 
then (1 believe) difengaged, were of the highefh 
fervice to me ; dulnefs itfelf could not have failed 
to profit from the inftruClions of fo able and elo- 
quent a friend. During my acquaintance with 
this amiable and benevolent man, my foul was 
confecrated to all the fweet emotions of friend- 
fhip, and happy fhould 1 have been had this inti- 
macy lafted ; — but, alas ! fuch happinefs was not 
referved for me. Engaged in the purfuit of mofl 

honourable 



( 59 ) 

honourable ambition, his heart was ever open to 
the more endearing virtues of private life. The 
zealous, enthufiaftic patriot was no lefs the fincere 
afFedionate friend — the tender, the ardent lover ; 
and, perhaps, in no one man were ever before 
united fo many engaging, fo many tranfcendent 
qualities ; infomuch, that the character given of 
him in the Houfe of Commons, by his friend 
Sir Charles Bunbury, feems by no means exagge- 
rated — '^ That he was even a hero to his valet de 
'' chambre !" 

The giddinefs of extreme youth, and remark- 
able levity of my difpofitioh at that time, was 
not calculated to fecure the attachment of this 
illuftrious charader, although in every fubfequent 
trial I have found in him a moft complaifant and 
liberal benefactor. 

It was now my deftiny to become acquainted 
with a man in almoft every inftance the reverfe of 
the former, but he ftill pofleffed that charm, which, 
with my turn for extravagance, fupported the 
place of every other. Mr. Fazakerley was ricb^ 

8 and 



( 6o ) 

and what rendered him yet more valuable in my 
fight, he YJ2iS generous ! He offered me his houfe 
and prefented to me his purfe ; money feemed 
no objed; to him, and fuch a man was adapted to 
my purpofe. Neverthelefs, it was my nature to 
be candid, I therefore frankly told him that I 
was four months advanced in pregnancy ; and 
concluded by faying, that he probably might 
deem this circumflance an obftacle to our connec- 
tion. He waved however the objedion, made 
the moil liberal offers, infifted on my applying to 
no other quarter for protection, and during four 
years he fupported me and my daughter^ without 
permitting me to draw from Mr. Fox the leaft 
fupply whatever. 

Mr. Fazakerley made with me the tour of 
Europe, and did all in his power to cultivate my 
underftanding, and to give me all that fuperficial 
kn©wledge and acquirements which are confidered 
to yield fuch a polifh to our travelled ladies. If 
I had not profited by the advantages that offered 
themfelves during my acquaintance with this 
gentleman, I fhould deferve more misfortunes 

than 



( 6i ) 

than I have even yet endured, if it were poffible 
they could fall to the lot of any one human being ; 
but, I truft that my mind has not been altogether 
unimproved ; and if my heart may have been 
corrected by the former gentleman, my under- 
Handing and perfon have certainly acquired gra- 
ces and accomplifhments from the pains beftowed 
on me by the latter. I am therefore bound to 
acknowledge thofe obligations to Mr. Fazakerley, 
for the attention I received from him during four 
years, as well as for many liberal pecuniary fa- 
vours ; but as to the real happinefs, I never 
enjoyed it under the aufpices of this gentleman, 
his temper being extremely morofe and capricious ; 
nor had he any of thofe qualities formed to con- 
ciliate the affedlions of a delicate woman. 

At the end of four years, this connexion was 
diffolved, and unfortunately for me, all his friend- 
/hip perifhed with it. 

During my misfortunes, he has never liftened 
to my complaints ; the more miferies were accu- 
mulated on my wretched head, the more callous 

did 



( 6a ) 

did his heart feem to what I fuffered, and he at 
length concluded by withdrawing an annuity of 
two hundred pounds, which he had promifed /hould 
he continued during my life. 

I had now formed an acquaintance with Lord 
Hervey. Of this noble Lord I have fpoken in 
the preceding pages, and even at this moment I 
cannot refle6t on the virtues and fplendid qualities 
that diftinguifh the mind and perfon of his Lord- 
fhip, without the moil lively fenfibility. With 
him I enjoyed, for feveral months, all the com- 
forts and delights of domeftic life, and with him 
I continued until he was appointed, by his Bri- 
tannic Majefty, Envoy at a foreign court. 

Attached to my native country (America) I 
fancy the reader will have already difcovered that 
I am by no means a friend to arbitrary princi- 
ples ; nor is it becaufe I admire the man^ that I 
am to be confidered a convert to his political 
notions, 

I was therefore concerned when I read the 
manifefto which he publiflied at that court, dur- 
ing 



( 63 ) 

ing his embafly. Nothing, however, can abate 
the lively gratitude and efteem which my heart 
feels for this valuable friend. — His Lordfhip had 
left me only a few months, when I brought forth 
a pledge of our union, a daughter, whom death 
foon ravifhed from me: previous to which lofs, a 
new and amiable connexion called me back to 
Ireland, where I received the above fatal intelli- 
gence, which was a terrible drawback upon the 
happinefs 1 then enjoyed. Captain B******, 
my new lover, was every way calculated to oblit- 
erate the impreffion I might have received from 
former admirers, and to footh the afflidion 
which I felt for the lofs of my dear and beloved 
child. From him I have uniformly experienced 
every kindnefs that the tendereft affection could 
beftow. The roving habits of a military life 
did not admit any permanent attachment of this 
nature ; but it is fufficiently flattering to me, 
that Mr. B'^'***** never omitted an occafion of 
feeking my fociety. 

The fruits of our connection are two fons, 
both now living, and both happy under the pro- 
tection 



( 64 ) 

tecftion of their worthy parent, who is himfelf 
lately united in marriage with a lady who, I am 
told, pofTefles every virtue and every neceffary 
accomplifhment to fecure his happinefs, and with 
whom I ardently wifh him a continuation of all 
the bleffmgs and enjoyments which he fo emi- 
nently deferves. Let me, however, indulge the 
hope, without wifhing to ftrew the thorns of 
jealoufy or difcontent on her bridal pillow, that 
he will never utterly neglecSl his form.tr friend, the 
mother of his chiMren. Humanity, and friend- 
fhip for others, are not uncongenial with conju- 
gal fidelity, and if I am rightly informed of Lady 

A 's charadler, fhe is not the woman to 

encourage a dereliftion of thofe duties. The 
honourable connedlion that Mr. B'''****'^ has 
formed is incompatible with the union that once 
fubfifted between us, and if previous thereto 
there had been any chafm in that union, it was 
becaufe his fortune could not keep pace with my 
former extravagance. 

Confident am I, from all the proofs I have 
had of his generous and afFedionate heart, that 

the 



( 65 ) 

the manifold forrows I have undergone, if he 
had pofleffed the power, I fhould have been 
fpared the fuffering. I could dwell longer on 
this endearing theme, but prudence commands 
me to draw the veil. 

I now enter on the fubjed: of a gentleman, 
whom honour, gratitude, and every refined fen- 
timent which dignifies the foul of woman, and 
impreffes it with a fenfe of paft obligations, com- 
pel me to mention. Generofity and fincerity 
were his fhining charaderiftics — a friend to all 
mankind, himjelf excepted. The opennefs of 
Mr. Giffard's difpofition everlaftingly expofed 
him to the villanies and bafe proje6ls of nefari- 
ous gamblers and intriguers of every defcription; 
nay, even in that elevated circle of ariftocracy in 
which he moved, there were not wanting ennobled 
wretches to form their fchemes of plunder and 
robbery againft him. The lofTes which Mr. 
GifFard fuftained from thefe honourable connec- 
tions were fatal to himfelf and family. Unfuf- 
picious of the treachery to which he had been 
the dupe, he paid to the lafi: guinea, although to 

accomplifh 



( ^6 ) 

accomplish that payment, he had been obliged to 
difcharge his eftablifhment, and to difpofe of his 
equipage. Stupid muft be the mind that would 
not have been corrected by fatal experience like 
this, and happy am 1 to learn, that from a regu- 
lar fyftem of oeconomy which he has of late 
adopted, and through the interpofition of his 
relations, his finances are repaired, and thus a 
moft worthy man reftored to his country. 

Ungrateful fhould I be if I did not rejoice in 
every profperity which he enjoys. From him, 
during the time I was fo happy as to partake of 
his efteem, I received pecuniary favours that 
almoft outran my own extravagance — and it was 
only the derangement of his affairs, that could 
have put a period to them. 

While with Mr. Giffard, my humble roof was 
often vifited by princes of the Blood Royal, and 
by Nobles of the higheft diftindion — and here, 
I fhould do a violence to my own feelings, if I 
did not draw a juft comparifon in favour o^ ple- 
beian virtue; let me then honefhly proclaim to the 

world. 



( 67 ) 

world, fuperior to flattery or difTimulation, that 
in my journey through life I have found more 
liberality of fentiment, more candour and ingen- 
uoufnefs in this plain country gentleman, and 
others of a fimilar defcription, than I ever expe- 
rienced from a certain Duke of royal lineage. 

But where is the wonder ? Fidelity to vows Is 
not the virtue of princes. At perjuries with wo- 
men they only laugh. During my hard diflirefl^es 
in a horrid jail, often did I apply to this Royal 
LothariOj this perfidious Lovelace, but who, alas ! 
had none of the accomplifhments that Lovelace 
could boafl: of; and the fruit of my application 
was filence — dead, monotonous, obfliinate fllence ! 
Beware then, ye of my unhappy fex, how you are 
beguiled by the gew-gaw of royal fplendour ! 
Nurfed in the lap of luxury, fatiated with enjoy- 
ments, the hearts of princes are callous to the 
purer delights of exquifite fenflbility. Princes live 
only for themfelves : they conceive that men and 
women are made merely for them, to be the paffive 
infliruments of their voluptuoufnefs, and are only 
furprifed when the leafl: recompence is required 

9 from 



( 68 ) 

from them, as a poor indemnity for the deareft 
facrifices that have been made to footh their paf- 
fions. All I can fay is, that if this princely Lotha- 
rio fhines not with greater advantage in the plains 
of Mars than he excels in the groves of Venus, 
the combined forces have little to exped from his 
martial exertions. 

In the month of May, 1788, annoyed by my 
creditors, and Mr. Giffard's finances being at that 
time exceedingly deranged, he could only offer cer- 
tain terms to my creditors, giving one thoufand 
pounds into the hands of Mr. Thomas Vaughan, 
of Suffolk-ftreet, Middlesex Hofpital, for the 
purpofe of fettling with them; while it was judged 
expedient that I fhould tranfport myfelf to the 
continent, there to remain during eight or ten 
months. I fhould be loth to caft reflexions on 
any man, and I conceive it now neceffary to extri- 
cate Mr. Vaughan from afperfions which have 
been thrown out againft him. 

My debts at this time amounted to near three 
thoufand pounds, including attorney's bills, for 

it 



( (>9 ) 

it has been my lot always to pay full fixty fhil- 
lings for every twenty: it was therefore propo- 
fed, that the one thoufand pounds fo generoufly 
granted by my munificent friend fhould be applied 
only to the payment of fuch debts as had been 
contracted while I refided under the proteftion of 
Mr. GifFard, confidering himfelf in honour bound 
to difcharge them. But firft, there was an offer 
made to all my creditors in general, of ten {hil- 
lings in the pound, which they were foolifh 
enough to refufe ; thus I was under the neceffity 
of protradling my refidence abroad. 

On my arrival in Paris, I had taken my refi- 
dence at the Hotel de I'Univerfite, where it was 
my fortune to meet once more that favourite of 
the fair fex, that renowned warrior, equal to both, 
and armed for either field, whofe glorious exploits 
in the blood-flained ranks of Long-Iiland and 
Charleflon can teflify, and whofe fuperior excel- 
lence in thofe fofter engagements, in the Italian 
vales, Mademoifelle la Maire and fo many other 
Parifian belles have equally witneffed. 

This 



( 70 ) 

This heroic chief, this fecond Agamemnon, 
uniting all accomplifliments — -the fierceft foldier 
in war, the gentleft fwain in love — did me the 
honour to take me under his protedion. 

He was my cecifbeo, who made me acquainted 
with all the beauties of that fuperb and magnifi- 
cent city ; he introduced me into all the gay and 
brilliant circles, of which he himfelf fhone the 
fplendid ornament. The intelligent reader, on 
perufing the above, will not be at a lofs to dif- 
cover, that I allude to General D ********. 
With this military and amorous Quixote there 
was a young man, nearly related, and to whom, 
fuch is the ftrange organization of the female 
mind ! I am fair to confefs, that I gave the pre- 
ference over his formidable and illuflrious rival. 
Jealoufy is the charafteriftic of love — I had made 
an impreffion on the heart of the veteran beau ; 
he Jujpe5ied (and his Jujpicions were not wrong) 
that there was a fecret underflanding between 
myfelf and his younger companion : yielding 
thereto, he kept a fteady watch over all our 
adions, and when the filent hour approached that 

lovers 



( 71 ) 

lovers dedicate to the deity of their adoration, 
my antique admirer, eager to convince himfelf of 
the truth of what he fufpeded, pofted himfelf in 
an obfcure corner, where, by favour of the moon, 

he traced Sir R * to my apartments, — and, 

as foon as he knew that his conjedures were well 
founded, he withdrew all friendship, and, I fear, 

has never fince forgiven me. ''At lover's 

"quarrels," they fay, ''Jove laughs ;" although 
this quarrel turned out ferious, fince no corref- 
pondence has fubfifted between us fince the above 
fatal period. But if Agamemnon withdrew him- 
felf he ftill left a Paris behind to conjole me. 

Sir Robert Harland, the next day informed 
me, that my late admirer was fo exceedingly 
offended, that it would render my longer con- 
tinuance, in the fame hotel, very difagreeable ; 

1 therefore departed, taking lodgings at the 

Hotel de la Reine, Rue des Bons Enfans. — I 
was no fooner fettled in my new apartment, 
than one of my fervants told me that my huf- 

band 

* Sir R***** H******. 



( 7^ ) 

band lodged in the fame houfe, and as he was the 
laft man in the world whom I wifhed to fee, I 
inftantly took leave of the landlord, and went to 
Madame Lafar's Hotel, Rue Caumartin ; a lady 
who happily poffefles the convenient accommodating 
talents of obliging all her guefts, both male and 
female, never alking impertinent queftions, and 
being perfedly indifferent as to the mode of 
arrangement amongft them. In this hotel I 
found the famous Colonel Mc. Carthy, who was 
pleafed to honour me with his particular attention. 
By this gentleman I was introduced to the Mar- 
quis de Genlis, whofe fuperb hotel was the con- 
ftant receptacle of all the elegants of that once 
luxurious city. — This nobleman^ in his youth, had 
been the moft accomplifhed petit maitre of the 
day, and in the decline of life, when I knew him, 
he reminded me very much, both in his drefs and 

addrefs, of our old Duke of O . The French 

Marquis, however, was rather more celebrated 
for hofpitality than the Scotch Duke. — When 
I retrace in my imagination the no6lurnal orgies, 
and every refinement of luxury, that was vifible 
in this temple of voluptuoufnefs, contrafting it 

with 



( 73 ) 

with the prefent gloomy fcene, which my mind 
pictures to itfelf, I, in fome meafure, forget my 
own forrows : The Graces, I am told, have en- 
tirely abandoned that city, where they had lb 
long refided, — Stern, inexorable republican vir- 
tue has ufurped the empire which they once held, 
and politics now fupply the place of gallantry 
and love. — The ill-fated brother of M. de Genlis, 
the Marquis de Sillery, hufband to the accom- 
plifhed writer of that name, tainted by education 
with the prejudices of ariftocracy^ and vitiated by 
the long habits of Parifian debauchery, has lately 
fuffered under the fatal axe of the guillotine ; 
and this example, confirmed by fo many others, 
ought to ferve as a wholefome and moft ufeful 
lefibn, how, at this jund:ure, perfons embark on 
the dangerous ocean of politics, unlefs they are 
really and honeftly attached to the principles 
which they profefs. 

The Jacobin Club is undoubtedly (whatever 
it may be in other refpects) the moft vigilant and 
enlightened corps of diplomacy in Europe. In- 
numerable inftances have proved the impoffibility 

of 



( 74 ) 

of efcaping their keen, penetrating refearches, 
and the leaft deviation from the path of the 
Conftitution, (that is, from the unity and indi- 
vifibility of the Republic) is fure to meet detec- 
tion, and to be followed by an ignominious 
death. Let us then implore the grace of Divine 
Providence to put an end to thefe horrors ! 

To refume the thread of my narrative — About 
the latter end of July, 1788, a Mr. Beckett, with 
whom I become acquainted, and for which ac- 
quaintance I am indebted to my old friend. Colo- 
nel Freemantle, came to Paris. He lived in the 
fame hotel with myfelf, in the greatefl fplendour ; 
his table was continually crouded by perfons of 
the highefl rank, amongft whom were the late 
unfortunate Due d' Orleans, the Dues de Mont- 
morenci, Pienne, Prince Louis d'Aremberg, 
Marquis de Bouille, &c. &c. &c. — Amidft my 
manifold misfortunes, I confider it fome confola- 
tion that the perfons with whom I have been 
acquainted were the moll: part diftinguifhed for 
genius and talents, and this young man was 
remarkably fo : — Mr. Beckett flattered me by his 

addrefses. 



( 75 ) 

addrefles, at a time when all the Parifian beauties 
were emulous with each other for his affecflions : 
whether it were vanit}^, affedlion, preference, or any 
fentiment bordering on felf-love, I will not fay ; 
but, living in the fame hotel with him, he continu- 
ally made choice of me as the Sultana to prefide 
at his table, and I had the diredion of all his 
entertainments. At the end of four months, 
after various oblique and fruitlefs hints, Madame 
Lafar became clamorous for payment of her bill, 
which amounted to th.^ fmallfum of five hundred 
pounds. He drew bills upon his father for fif- 
teen hundred pounds, which were the amount of 
his whole debts. A fpecial courier was difpatched 
to England, and as the father would not, or could 
not, pay the extravagant demands of his fon, the 
bills returned to Paris protejied. In this fituation 
I advifed him to confult his own countrymen, 
then in Paris : He was at that time intimately 
acquainted with Lord Gillford, fon of Lord 
Clanwilliam. This young nobleman affured him 
that he had only a few hours to determine on his 
efcape, as he had private information that Ma- 
dame Lafar meant to arreft him. — I mufh do Mr. 

lo Beckett 



( 76 ) , 

Beckett thejuflice to fay, that it was with the 
utmoft reludance that he purfued the advice of 
his friends, as he exprefled flrong apprehenfions 
for my fafety ; however, touched with his gene- 
rofity, I became entirely regardlefs of myfelf, and 
pofitiv^ly infifted on his flighty — and he yielded 
obedience. — He had not departed many hours 
before all his creditors were in an uproar ; the 
hue and cry was raifed, that an Englifhman had 
run away for his debts : the police officers were 
fent after him, but returned with forrowful coun- 
tenances, their miffion unaccomplifhed. 

Madame Lafar, who^ poor dear woman I was 
the principal fufferer, now turned all her ven- 
geance againft me, knowing that I had a travel- 
ling poft-chaife and a chariot, together with feveral 
valuable effects ; on thefe articles fhe fixed her 
attention^ determined to plunder me. 

Two days after Mr. Beckett left Paris I was, 
while on a vifit at Madame Smith's, informed by 
Mr. Robert Knight, (another of the few good 
men I have found in the world) that his carriage 

had 



( 77 ) 

had juft been furrounded by a party of armed 
ruffians, inquiring for me, and he had fcarcely 
uttered the words when the houfe of Madame 
Smith was befet by at leaft an hundred men, pre- 
ceded by Mr. de Lomprey, exempt de police. 
My friends^ alarmed for my fituation, (for I was 
feven months advanced fn pregnancy) intreated 
the exempt to difmifs his followers — Mr. Knight 
kindly pledging himfelf to be refponfible for any 
complaint which they had to make againft me. 
Mr. de Lomprey replied, '' that he had a lettre 
^'' de cachet from the King^ ordering me to close 
" confinement in the Hotel de la Forced My 
valuable friend, who was a young man of very 
independent fortune, would not fufFer this arbi- 
trary a6l of power to be exercifed againft an help- 
lefs woman, without firfl demanding that fatis- 
fadion to which he thought me entitled. He, 
therefore, at that late hour, went to the Duke of 
Dorfet, the Englifh AmbafTador: his Grace was 
from home : thus I was obliged to go, at two 
o'clock in the morning, to the manfion of flavery, 
the Hotel de la Force. I had with me my infant 
fon, then only two years old. The innocence of 

this 



( 78 ) 

this tender lamb, who feemed fenfible that fome 
misfortune had happened, overcame what refolu- 
tion I polTefTed ; he held up his little hands and 
cried out, ^^ Oh ! you fhall not hurt my Mother /" 
Mr. Knight, however, comforted me by every 
aflurance of proteding the child, and carried him 
away in his carriage, having firfl: attended me him- 
felf to the wretched apartment deftined for me. 
A miferable bed of Jiraw, with one wretched 
blanket, was all the furniture in the room, and 
the floor was completely covered with vermin. 
'Till this moment I was a ftranger to prifons ; 
therefore my mind was more fenflble to th^/hock: 
but even now that I have been habituated to the 
horrors of confinement, I cannot conceive fuch a 
dreadful epitome of wretchednefs as this vile 
dungeon, on mature refleftion, ilill appears to be; 
and, for the fake of humanity, I fervently pray, 
that if it be not already done, the new government 
of France may utterly defl:roy fimilar abominations. 

— My woman, the faithful partner of all my 
misfortunes, accompanied me, nor could even 
this rpedacle of horror induce her to forfake her 

miftrefs. 



( 79 ) 

miftrefs. We pafTed the few remaining hours 
converfing on the fudden tranfition of fortune — 
I wifhed to convince her of the mutability of 
human happinefs — In three days 1 was reduced 
from fcenes of pleafure and tranquility to my 
prefent wretched condition ! As foon as day 
approached, we examined our fad habitation : the 
(irft objed that ftruck my eye was a huge tremen- 
dous padlock, projecting from the cieling, and to 
which was faftened an immenfe iron collar. We 
could not at firfh imagine the ufe of this frightful 
inftrument ; but my poor, faithful attendant foon 
gueffed it, and exclaimed, '' O, Madam ! it is to 
'^faften us up at night!" She had fcarce uttered 
thefe words when the jailer appeared, (for, in 
France, it is a duty exadled from the keeper of 
fuch a place to pay perfonal attendance to the 
unfortunate in his power :) he had a great bunch 
of keys in his hand : he walked up to me, and 
immediately cried out, " Oh^ del! quel dommage T' 
adding, that he had received orders from the gov- 
ernment to treat me with the greateft refped. 
This civil Frenchman ended his harangue by 
requefling me to give him permiffion to order my 

breakfaft. 



( 80 ) 

breakfaft. I thanked him for his politenefs, but 
declined receiving any refrefhment until my friends 
came to me. At a very early hour (before noon) 
Mr. Knight, accompanied by Mr, Weftern, the 
prefent member for Maiden, paid me a vifit. 
Thefe gentlemen, in concert with Capt. Winder, 
of the guards, were for ever employed to obtain 
my liberty, availing themfelves of a moft necef- 
fary and humane law that exifts in France, pro- 
hibiting the imprifonment of pregnant women for 
debt. If fuch laws were in full force under the 
moft defpotic government of Europe, how much 
more confiftent were it in force under that which 
calls itfelf the moft free ? Aged perfons were alfo 
exempt from this penalty ; but here our ears are 
for ever ftunned with the found of liberty and 
humanity ! women in the pangs of childbed — 
men in the agonies of death, (fuch inftances have 
occurred) in virtue of a ftieriiF's writ, may be 
dragged to the moft loathjome jail. Were it not 
then devoutly to be wiftied, that our legiflators, in- 
ftead of empty panegyric, would afford us a little 
of the fubftance .^ In my own opinion, who have 
done fome experience in thefe cafes, the reafon why 

fuda 



( 8i ) 

fuch horrible laws are fuffered to exift, is under 
the fuppofition of their being feldom or ever 
executed ; the fad:, however, is notorioufly other- 
wife ; at all events, policy, as well as mercy, 
requires, the national chara6ler demands, that the 
life of freemen fhould not be expofed to the dif- 
cretion, or depend on the pity, of a^fheriff 's officer. 

Madame Lafar, alarmed, leaft I fhould efcape 
out of the fnare fhe had laid, endeavoured to 
perfuade my friends I was not in the predica- 
ment defcribed ; but all her projects failed, as 
they infilled on a confultation of the faculty, 
who afcertained my pregnancy ; at the fame time 
expreffing apprehenfions of immediate labour 
from the fudden revolution I had undergone. 
In this fituation, a female of my acquaintance 
(although by no means a lady of rigid virtue, not 
therefore lefs fufceptible of generofity and com- 
panion) immediately repaired to Monfieur Pac- 
quet, then firft Prelident of the Parliament of 
Paris, relating the circumftance, and at the fame 
time giving a miniature pidlure of me. This 
gentleman went the following day to Verfailles, and 

informing 



( 82 ) 

informing Monfieur and the Comte d'Artois, the 
late King s brothers, of my misfortune, they, with a 
generous fympathy rarely to be found in princes, 
and which caufes me to lament moil bitterly their 
fad reverfe of fortune, took pity on my fituation 
and became my advocates ; and in a few hours I 
received his Majefty's order for my releafe. The 
Comte d'Artois, in particular, entered into the 
hardfhips of my cafe, and on delivering the King's 
fignature, cancelling the letter de cachet, advifed 
that I fhould put myfelf under protedlion of his 
palace,* Signifying that Mr. Beckett's creditors 
might then proceed againft me in a court of law. 
The inftant I returned from prifon, I went accord- 
ingly to the Place du Temple, where I had not 
remained many hours before I received a vifit from 

the Due de F , another nobleman who alfo 

boafts of royal blood in his veins, but whofe adions 
unfortunately were not calculated to efface thofe 
unfavourable prepofTeifions with which I had been 
infpired by a fimilar condu6l in a truly royal Duke, 

who 

^ The Temple at Paris, where Louis XVI. and the royal family were 
confined, was formerly a palace occupied by the Comte d'Artois, and its 
environs afforded prote6lion to unhappy infolvent debtors. 



( 83 ) 

who now makes fuch a capital figure on the theatre 
of European politics. The familiar epithet applied 

to the ci-devant Due de F in Paris, (that loyal 

and renowned emigrant) was an efcroc (in Englifh 
fignifying Iharper or Greek). All I can fay is, 
that I have no reafon to difpute the propriety of 
the application. 

In my new abode I had foon the mortification 
to learn from my fervants, that my two car- 
riages, together with all my clothes and jewels, 
were feized by Mr. Beckett's creditors, fo that I 
was, in an infhant, ftripped of every neceflary, in 
a country where I had no connections but fuch 
as had been formed on the principles of intereft. 
Thus circumftanced, a young Irifh nobleman, in 
whofe favour I had made an exception, and from 
my general opinion of his friendfhip I had con- 
fidence, I frankly communicated what had be- 
fallen me, and received from his Lordfhip every 
aflurance of prote5iion ; but his fortune not being 
adequate to his generofity, he immediately pro- 
pofed a fubfcription amongft my friends then in 
Paris, and in the courfe of twenty-four hours I 

II found 



( 84 ) 

found myfelf, through their exertions, in poflef- 
fion of two hundred and fifty louis d'or's. 

I have before obferved, that adverfity is the 
true criterion of friendihip, and I am bound in 
gratitude to render juftice to that virtue in the 
French nation. 

In France I ever met with the greateft human- 
ity, tempered with delicacy and politenefs ; and 
if my misfortunes, during the latter part of my 
refidence in that country, called for the aid of 
others, I alfo received it ; at the fame time it 
was always conveyed in a manner which refledled 
honour on the generous donors, ever unaccom- 
panied with thofe difgufting marks of oftentation 
which too frequently attend ads of pecuniary 
relief. 

I remained fix: months in the Temple, and 
returned to England ten days before that glorious 
epoch, the 14th of July, 1789, when Frenchmen 
threw off for ever the yoke of slavery. Oh ! 
may that day yield an awful and impreffive ^effon ! 
It forms an aera replete with events ftill in the 

womb 



( 85 ) 

womb of time to produce. It threatens deftruc- 
tion to long eftablifhed fyftems — to long eftab- 
lifhed orders. It prefages revolution, and ftrikes 
at thofe antique governments, in defence of which 
fo many of my anceftors have bled. 

Should they have bled in vain, and if a new 
order of things be deftined to fucceed, may 
humanity ftill profit by the change ! may a more 
equal diftribution of fublunary enjoyments ban- 
ifh from the face of the earth thofe fcenes of 
horror that have fo long tortured the fight and 
difgraced the policy of focial inftitutions ! Per- 
haps the Millennium, fo long and fo anxioufly 
anticipated, is at hand, when nations will be 
linked in one fraternal bond — when civil difcord 
and foreign wars fhall ceafe to defolate the world. 
Whichever party may prevail in this tremendous 
crifis, my only prayer is, that it may terminate 
to the advantage and improvement of the human 
race ! — The reader will pardon thefe frequent 
digreffions ; they arife naturally from the fub- 
je6l, and are the fpontaneous emanations of a 
foul fraught with fenfibility, and glowing with 

zeal 



( 86 ) 

zeal for the general happinefs and improvement 
of mankind. I have formerly experienced from 
Frenchmen compafTion and generofity ; and I 
have fometimes found thofe virtues in the Eng- 
lifh. Born in America, and refident many years 
in England, I feel no local partialities, no pre- 
pofTeffions or difgufls — my country is the world ! 
and whatever the political fentiments of others 
may be, I confider it the duty of citizens to 
yield implicit fubmiffion to the laws of that 
government under which they live. 

Faffing eighteen months in France, under her 
ancient monarchy, I had the opportunity of 
manifefling my refpedl to the laws which then 
exifted ; and if I were at prefent in that nation, 
now that it has judged proper to adopt the re- 
publican form of government, I fhould hold 
myfelf equally bound, faithfully to obey the 
laws of that Republic. 

Such are my opinions, which I believe are 
founded in truth and juftice, and I fhould be 
ever emulous to preferve the charader of a 

peaceful^ 



( 87 ) 

peaceful^ and, I hope, in future, to add, of a 
virtuous citizen. 

It is the fafhion amongfh us, vehemently and 
outrageoufly to condemn the French for the ex- 
cefles and cruelties they have committed ; but 
we muft in candour allow, that in the progrefs of 
this war they have been at leaft equalled in a6ls 
of cruelty by the PrufTians and Auftrians, and 
far furpaffed therein by their own emigrants. 
Very lately an account was tranfmitted to the 
convention, by one of its commifTioners at Lille, 
of an Auftrian foldier taken prifoner, on fearch- 
ing whom it was difcovered that his cartridges 
were poifoned, which at once explained the caufe 
of that amazing mortality which had prevailed 
amongft the French wounded foldiers. 

Monfieur Beaulieu, an Auftrian general, on a 
late occafion, previous to an engagement, like- 
wife fignified to his troops that prifoners were 
only an incumbrance, in confequence of which the 
foldiers took the hint and gave no quarter. 

What tender heart then but recoils from thofe 

dreadful 



( 88 ) 

dreadful profcriptions and executions which now 
daily take place in that diftradled country ! but as 
in morals, it would be held madnefs to harbour in 
our bofom a ferpent to fting us to death ; fo in 
politics, the maxim holds equally good. France 
cannot be denied to have contained innumerable 
enemies within her bofom, and from the exter- 
minating principles of this deftrudive war, which 
operate equally on both fides, it is evident if fhe 
wifhed to confolidate her government, that if fhe 
do not ftrive to deftroy thofe enemies they will 
finally fucceed to deflroy the republic. Let us 
then be jufh amidfh the violence of revolutionary 
paroxyfms. We are not to exped: that temper 
and moderation which ought to be the bafis of 
fettled, tranquil governments, but which (we 
fatally experience) is too feldom the charaderiflics 
of fuch governments. 

To return to my fubjed : — When I arrived in 
London, I fent to my houfe in New Cavendifh- 
ftreet, defiring a female fervant, whom I had left 
in charge of it, to come to the hotel. She gave 
me to underftand, that although feveral of my 

creditors 



( 89 ) 

creditors were much diflatisfied with the manner 
in which Mr. Vaughan had difpofed of the money 
deftined to fettle their demands, ftill they were by 
no means inclined to harrafs me. Thefe afluran- 
ces encouraged me to return to my own houfe, 
and in a few days I called a meeting of all my 
unfatisfied creditors (ading in this inftance as my 
own attorney:) from them I obtained a letter of 
licence ; I however was fo foolifli as to afk for 
only fix months indulgence, when they would 
readily have granted it for as many years ; there 
were, neverthelefs, two obdurate, ungrateful cre- 
ditors, linen drapers of Oxford-ftreet, who, regard- 
lefs of the many obligations which they owed to 
me and my friends, thought proper to arreft me, 
contrary to the opinion of all the reft who had any 
claims against me. With thefe men I had dealt for 
years, in which time they had both received from 
me feveral hundred pounds, and now they thought 
proper to have me confined for the moderate fum 
of three hundred and fifty pounds : my own 
attorney civilly leaving me in a fpunging-houfe, 
to get out as I could. In this hour of diftrefs, 
when friendfhip makes the deepeft impreffion, a 

gentleman 



( 90 ) 

gentleman* of Furnival's Inn came fortunately 
to the houfe, and hearing of my confinement, 
generoufly became my bail. And here let me 
again pour forth the tribute of a grateful heart ! 
but words are inadequate to exprefs the fenfe that 
I have of bis liberality and kindnefs. Unac- 
quainted with the chicanery, villainy, and hard- 
heartednefs of other lawyers, from which I have 
fo cruelly fuffered, from certain experience, he 
rofe, in my opinion, above every man in his pro- 
fefTion. He found me befet by plunderers, Jews, 
and fwindlers, combined to rob me of what pro- 
perty I pofTefTed. The fuflerings I had hitherto 
endured had not operated the neceffary conviction, 
or hindrance, in choice of acquaintance : I have 
ever been the dupe of the worthlefs part of both 
fexes ; and, at this time, I was ftupidly infatuated 
with the fociety of a certain Jewefs. — 

— This woman poffelTed feveral natural good 
qualities, qualities which far over-balanced her 
faults ; and as it is impoffible for any human 
produdion to be perfect, I overlooked her im- 

perfedlions, 

■^ Mr. Chambers. 



( 91 ) 

perfedions, and adopted her as my bofom friend. 

Mrs. G had a mother who was ever in league 

with bailiffs and low attornies, and often have 
both her daughter and myfelf fuffered from her 
unnatural intrigues. 

— In the month of November, 1789, it was 
neceffary that I lliould either furrender to Mr. 
Chambers, or fettle the debts for which he was 
anfwerable. I therefore confulted this female 
ferpent, whom I had nurfed in my bofom to 
fting me ; fhe gave it as her advice, that it would 
be prudent for me to call upon the plaintiff's 
attorney, who, £he was pleafed to remark, would 
be happy to become one of my humble Jlaves. 
Eager to exonerate my good friend Mr. Cham- 
bers, from any danger, on my account, I applied 
to an attorney of Ely-place, and propofed to 
give fecurity for the debt in which he was con- 
cerned. This accompliJJied limh of the law, feeing 
me in a fplendid equipage, agreed to accept my 
own terms, and inlinuated himfelf fo far into my 
good opinion, that he afterwards completely 
ruined me, plundering me of the laft guinea. I 

12 have 



( 9^ ) 

have fince learned that Mr. P , in order to 

enhance his own cofls, made it his buiinefs to 
difcover the credulous part of my creditors, whofe 
debts being fmall, were prevailed on to fue me ; 
and in one of thefe inftances, I can atteft that I 
was taken in execution for five pounds, and paid 
twenty for it. Fourteen days after I had agreed 

to employ Mr. P , he delivered to me his 

bill of cofts, modeftly making me his debtor two 
hundred and twenty-two pounds. I had, at this 
time, three hundred and fifty pounds to receive 
from Mr. Giffard, and as it was not immediately 
convenient for the latter gentleman to advance 
the money, I requefted this virtuous pra6tioner, 
this ornament of attorney/hip^ to wait a few weeks 
for payment ; but he had far other views ; he 
had a fcheme in agitation, which entirely pre- 
cluded all impertinent clamours of confcience. 
He, as I have before obferved, was inflru6ted 
with my circumftances, and while I was loaded 
with various debts, fome of which were enormous, 
he took a lawyer-like and conjcientious advantage 
of my female weaknefs, feducing me to make over 
all the furniture of my houfe to him — a delufion 

that 



( 93 ) 

that finally led to my deftru^ion. I could wifh to 
fpeak with moderation concerning this man, but 
my wrongs are fuch, that, waving irony, I muft 
intreat permiiTion to fpeak with freedom. The 
very moment I had executed the bond which 
made him mafter of my effects, he fent one 
Rojs^ a fheriff 's officer, to take pofTefTion of them, 
although he had given me his /acred word of 
HONOUR, that he would never proceed, unlefs to 
proted me from other executions. Not fatisfied 
with this bafe and perfidious adt, he was alfo the 
perfon who advifed another creditor to fue me for 
fixty pounds. On hearing of this writ, I was 
obliged to take refuge in the verge of the court, 
and on the next day, when I fent one of my fer- 
vants to my houfe for a change of clothes, they 
were refufed; the man in pofi^efTion fignifying, 
that he had pofitive orders not to fuffer any 
property to be taken out of the houfe. In this 
dilemma, I once more applied to my much val- 
ued and never-failing friend^ Mr. G******, and 
received from him two hundred pounds, which I 
paid to this immaculate attorney^ requefting he 
would withdraw the execution. He anfwered, 

that 



( 94 ) 

that the fum was not fufficient, (although he was 
pleafed to take it) as his demand was now in- 
creafed to fifty pounds more ; therefore, he per- 
fifted in felling the effeds, and I have never, to this 
hour, received any account from him, although 
it is pretty well known, that the produce of that 
fale brought him a very confiderable fum of 
money, befides the two hundred pounds I had 
before advanced him. 

— His next objeft was my coach, but that he 
might get it in his poflefTion with as much decency 
as pofTible, he affected to fecure to himfelf, by an 
affignment to a friend. Fool as I was, after my 
experience, I confented to his propofal, and had 
he defired me to fign my own death-warrant 
(fuch was the ajcendancy he had then over me,) I 
verily believe that I fhould have obeyed the pro- 
ceedings of this VIRTUOUS pra6litioner. 

I had not long executed the affignment, before 
my coach was feized in behalf of his brother-in- 
law, a linen-draper, and fold (or rather given away) 
for one hundred and twenty pounds, although I 

had 



( 9S ) 

had paid Mr, Godfal four hundred pounds for it, 
and never ufed it more than eight months. 

— The next ftep of this truly honeft attorney 
was to get my perfon feized, and it is a fad well 
known, that the monfter, under pretence of taking 
me before the late Lord Chancellor, on bufmefs, 
fold me to bailiffs. Thus I was arrefted, and 
dragged to a fpunging-houfe, where I was locked 
up feven weeks ; during which time, I employed 
myfelf in endeavouring to arrange my affairs. 
It was repeatedly propofed to me to make an 
application to my friends ; but unaccuftomed to 
folicit favours, I declined the propofal, and recon- 
ciled myfelf to the idea of ending my days in a 
prifon. 

— In this fpunging-houfe I remained until 
Eafter term, 1790, when I was compelled to take 
up my abode in the King's Bench : and now I 
confider it a tribute of juftice due from me not 
to confound the liberal creditor with the defign- 
ing, wicked Shylocks who condemned me to 
prifon, having met with the greateft indulgence 
and liberality from all my principal creditors. 

They 



( 9^ ) 

They who opprefTed me were the perfons who 
had the leaft right to do fo ; and, forry am I to 
fay, to the utter difgrace of my own/ex, that the 
two creditors whofe cruelty and inflexible obfti- 
nacy obliged me to continue two years in the 
King's Bench, were women, milliners ; one of 
whom had been in the habit of cheating me for a 
number of years. When I balanced accounts 
with her, I had receipts for fourteen hundred 
pounds, and yet the confcience of this honeji 
woman (for fhe is married) did not fcruple to 
declare, that Ihe would never releafe me, until I 
either paid three hundred pounds, or gave fecurity 
for the like fum. 

— A young man of fafhion, who was at that 
time unable to extricate me out of my difficulties, 
wifhed to awaken the feelings of this married lady^ 
this paragon of her fex ! and intreated her to 
remember, that my fituation claimed Jome com- 
fajfion^ for I was then pregnant with my youngeft 
fon, whom I mentioned in the beginning of thefe 
Memoirs. She replied, that it was quite imma- 
terial whether I was brought to bed in a prijon or 

elfewhere. 



( 91 ) 

elfewhere. Soaring above the feelings of human- 
ity, this dealer in flimfy, fmuggled commodi- 
ties, perfifted in purfuit of her dearly loved pelf, 
and forced me to endure all the miferies of a loath- 
fome jail. Torn from the bofom of my native 
country, I bore my forrows in filence, unknown, 
unpitied ! having met with few friends difinter- 
efted enough to prove their regard while I was 
incapable of making them any return. Such is 
the inftability of mankind ! While we can admin- 
ifter to their pleafures, or gratify their vanity, 
they are our abjed: flaves ; the fcene once changed, 
then adieu to friendfhip ! Thus fituated, deftitute 
of all fupport, except fuch as the precarious bene- 
volence of a few friends allowed me, I was advifed 
to fue my hufband for a feparate maintenance, 
who, regardlefs of the ties of honour and duty, 
was publicly living with a woman of notorious 
chara5ler^ whom he ftill fuffers to affume my name^ 
and I am told he has even the indecency to intro- 
duce her into feveral refpedable families, calling 
her his wife. '^' But to clear up the deception, I 

beg 

*Mr. John Coghlan refides in Chefter Place, London, and the Ifle of 
Thanet, County of Kent. 



( 98 ) 

beg leave to fay, although it be a title I never 
fought, it is my misfortune 7?/// to drag thofe hor- 
rid chains of matrimony and slavery which never 
can be diffolved but by his death or mine. 

The adion which I exhibited againft him, 
proving, from the moft refped;able witneffes, his 
cruelties, gained me the fupport that my neceffi- 
ties then called for, but not before I had endured 
every mifery that hunger, cold and confinement 
could inflid;. 

Sir William Scott, the Judge of the Confiftory 
Court of London, fentenced my hufband to allow 
me one hundred and feventy pounds a year, 
during the time that our caufe was depending. 
He refufing to comply with the decree, was pub- 
licly excommunicated in his own parifh church, 
St. George's, Hanover-fquare. Under thefe de- 
plorable circumftances, the time now approached 
when I was to fuffer ten thoufand additional 
horrors : — My friends, more anxious to preferve 
my life than I was, had provided a gentleman of 
the faculty to attend me during my lying-in : 

when 



( 99 ) 

when I was taken ill he was fent for, who being 
from home could not reach the King's Bench 
before ten o'clock. At that hour it is the con- 
ftant and often fatal practice to fhut the gates, 
whereby many an innocent and valuable life has 
been loft. Any attempt to break through this 
barbarous cuftom would have been vain. The 
life of a woman is not confidered as worth pre- 
fervation at the expence of breaking through 
the eftablilhed rules of a jail. Neverthelefs, 
humanity bleeds in reflecting on thefe abufes, 
fandlioned by law, which are ftill allowed to exift 
without an effort from thofe in whom the power 
is vefted to remove them. 

In tnis critical and lamentable ftate I remained 
feveral hours, ftruggling with death. The only 
profeffional man in the place was a very young 
furgeon, who at firft offered his affiftance, but 
afterwards declined it, confldering my fltuation 
too dangerous for him to be of any fervice ; 
however, his delicacy was afterwards over-ruled, 
and, owing to his kind interference, I was 
fnatched from death, to be referved for a feries 

13 of 



( loo ) 

of new calamities. Delivered from the agonies 
of child-bed, my infant was fuffered to remain 
naked for two days ; for, alas ! the unfortunate 
mother had not clothes even for herfelf! — In 
this deplorable ftate we both continued, till an 
unknown friend, touched with compaffion, re- 
mitted me a few guineas. 

I jfhould commit an injury againft my own 
feelings, if I did not here declare, that I have 
every reafon to believe myfelf indebted for this 
humane ad: to Mr. Walker, the late Marfhal 
of the King's Bench, as I afterwards experienced 
from him every kind attention poffible for one 
fellow-creature to fhew another. — May 1, on this 
occafion, be permitted to hold forth myfelf as an 
example to the giddy, diffipated fair ones of 
my fex, now, perhaps, in full enjoyment of the 
fmiles and adulation of men ? Beware, then, ye 
lovely vidlims of their crocodile carefles ! while 
the funfhine of fortune beams around you — 
while the bloom of beauty lafts and the charms 
of novelty hold their fway, wafte not your pre- 
cious hours in unprofitable idlenefs and wild 

extravagance ; 



( loi ) 

extravagance : make the falfe diflemblerSj while 
they pay homage to your beauty, provide alfo 
for your intereft : lay up ftores againft a rainy 
day. I, like you, when I thought myfelf be- 
loved, now too late difcover that all was flattery: 
the tempeft came unexpectedly on — none of my 
gay friends approached at my bidding — I was 
left to bide the pelting of this pitilefs fhorm in a 
horrid jail, naked and pennilefs, with a new-born 
infant at my breaft, crying for the fufhenance that 
famifhed nature refufed ! and when my former 
gay companions, on whom I vainly thought I 
could depend, kept all aloof, I was relieved, at 
laft, by the fortuitous generofity of an utter 
ftranger. Let me hope, therefore, my fate will 
ferve as a leflbn to others, that they may not 
founder on the rock on which I am wrecked. — 

Five weeks after my lying-in, a meflage came 
from Mr. Walker, fignifying that he wifhed to 
fee me : I was fhewn to his houfe, where, after 
lamenting, in the kindefl terms, the hardfhips I 
had fuffered, he declared how much he was con- 
cerned to fee in a prifon a woman, who, he was 

pleafed 



( I02 ) 

pleafed to fay, deferved a better fate ; and, at the 
fame time, with a delicacy peculiar to liberal 
minds, and incompatible, one fhould have 
thought, with his fituation, intreated me to 
accept a trifle as a pledge of his friendfliip, — 
giving into my hand a piece of paper, which, on 
my return to my apartment, I found to contain 
three guineas, with thefe lines : — " Never, while 
" you remain here, negled: applying to me in 
'^ your moments of pecuniary want/' — My ad- 
verfe ftars foon deprived me of this new friend, 
who was, fliortly afterwards, feized with a fever, 
which carried him off in a few days, leaving be- 
hind an amiable charader, well worthy of his 
fucceflx)r's imitation. May he, like Mr. Walker, 
remember, that he is placed in a fituation where 
he has all the mofl: important duties of humanity 
to perform, and in which a negled: of them would 
be ftill more criminal than the juft and liberal 
performance of them would be amiable and 
meritorious. Neverthelefs, I mufl: ingenioufly 
confefs, fpeaking of the King's Bench prifon, 
(and I am told other prifons are ftill more 
wretched) that the evil exifts in itfelf; and al- 
though 



( I03 ) 

though a jailor may certainly corredt the horrors 
of the fyftem^ yet it is impoffible for him effec- 
tually to remove it. The corruptions of a jail, 
according to the prefent eftablifhment, call aloud 
for legiflative interference ; and while fuch cor- 
ruptions are acknowledged on all fides, there can 
be only one reafon why no attempt is made to 
deilroy them, and that is the immenfe emolu- 
ments derived therefrom by the principal and 
fubaltern praditioners of the law. It is not the 
partial delufive fcheme of oppreffion againfl a 
few wretched attornies that can produce any 
material benefit ; it may ferve as a temporary 
manoeuvre to reconcile us to the barbarous prac- 
tice a little while longer. But the whole augean 
ftable muft be cleanfed. It is not the^^//y rogue 
that conftitutes the great nuifance : we muft go 
through all the different gradations of the infamy 
before we can hope to render any effectual fer- 
vice : experience enables me to fpeak with deci- 
fion on this fubject, and all I can fay is, that if 
every other department of government is in the 
fame corrupt ftate, as that of which I am now 

fpeaking, 



( I04 ) 

fpeaking, we are in a deplorable condition in- 
deed. 

Having imbibed my political principles at an 
early age, amongft citizens struggling for freedom, 
and where now every individual is equally privi- 
leged, and equally protedled by the law, I cannot 
but inveigh againfh partial immunities, and the 
propenfity which the Englifh people betray to 
deprive their fellow-creatures of that liberty of 
which they fo inconfiftently boaft. Not but a 
rational difcrimination ought neceflarily to be 
kept up between fraud and imprudence, villany 
and misfortune ; nothing can more fully demon- 
ftrate the negligence and infenfibility of govern- 
ment than that they Ihould be confounded indif- 
criminately together, that no diftindion fhould 
be made between them : yet fuch moft unfortu- 
nately is the cafe, and what aggravates, beyond 
meafure, this grievance, is, that the man who 
enters a prifon, honefl and virtuous, feldom fails, 
during his abode therein, to contrad: the vileft 
habits, and to be ever after unfit for fociety. 

Thus it is the height of impolicy and cruelty 

to 



( 105 ) 

to make no diftindtion between the unfortunate 
debtor and the deiigning fraudulent fwindler ; 
for, although the justice of the legiflature fhould 
provide a punifhment for the one, a certain and 
more lenient degree of protection than has hither- 
to been adopted, ought furely to be held out to 
the other. But the intereft of lawyers does not 
require fuch difcriminations to be made, and 
therefore it is judged right, that things fhould 
remain as they are. They forever tell us, they 
cannot be better. 

How long will this infatuation lafl ! Oh En- 
glishmen ! let it no more be faid, that, with paf- 
five, ignoble tamenefs, ye fuffered a fervile race 
of mercenary, corrupt, vindi6live lawyers, to forge 
the chains of hard captivity for your free-born 
limbs ! ye have a conftitution, whofe leading 
principle, ye are told, is liberty, facred, im- 
mortal liberty ! ye have a king, who is faid 
ardently to defire the profperity of all his people. 
Cherifh, then, this facred principle of your con- 
ftitution ; accomplifh the defires of your virtuous 
king ; rouze from your torpor ; the lion flum- 

bereth, 



( io6 ) 

bereth, he is not dead ; but, oh ! whenever he 
fhall awake, whenever his wrath Ihall be kindled, 
let him know to diftinguifh in his rage ; let none 
but the guilty bleed ! 

The news of Mr. Walker's fudden death caufed 
me many poignant refledions ; as the horrors of 
confinement were, in fome meafure, lefTened, while 
I confidered myfelf under the cuftody of that 
gentleman, and not under the controul of a mer- 
cenary jailor ; for this lucrative finecure (fuch in 
fad it is) too generally falls to the lot (I say it with- 
out meaning to offend any individual) of the 
moft worthlefs or infignificant charadlers : men, 
not feledled from any particular merit that would 
render them fit for the office ; not diftinguifhed 
for their difintereflednefs, charity, or diligent 
attention to the wants and morals of the prifoners ; 
but appointed merely as relations, or dependants, 
on my Lord Chief Jufi:ice of the day, who, for 
the moft part, (if not always) takes care to faddle 
them with a very heavy rider. 

Soon after Mr. Walker's death, the arrival m 
England of my amiable friend, the father of my 

children. 



( I07 ) 

children, revived my hopes, nor were they dif- 
appointed. He at once adminiilered to my 
wants, and cheered my forrows. The excellence 
of Mr. B"'*"""-'**'s heart, was my fecurity with 
him againft thofe frivolous and ungenerous ex- 
cufes, which, in the hour of adverfity, it has been 
my lot to receive from fo many others, whom 
alfo I had once thought my friends : he embraced 
the earlieft opportunity of viiiting me in my 
confinement, and inftantly took the children un- 
der his prote6lion ; the youngeft of whom was, 
at that time, only three months old. It is a very 
harfh trait in the human creature, (neverthelefs, 
I fear it is too faithful a one,) that calumny is, 
generally, the moft bufy againft thofe who moft 
want comfort and protedion. 

While I was fuffering all the complicated mif- 
eries of a loathfome jail, infinuations to my dif- 
advantage were moft malignantly and induftrioufly 
propagated, with the cruel defign of ruining me in 
the opinion and affedion of this my beft friend ; 
but, fuperior to all illiberal prejudice, and making 
every allowance for my folitary and unhappy fitua- 

14 tion 



( io8 ) 

tion, he would not confent to abandon me, fo that 
thefe cruel efforts of my enemies, moft of whom I 
have difcovered to exift in the circle of my own 
acquaintance, ended in difappointment and abor- 
tion; and I ingenioufly confefs, that my vanity 
exulted in the triumph which I achieved on this 
occafion, and my heart was preferved from the 
fhock it would have fuftained, had the father of 
my children, to complete the fum of my misfor- 
tunes, withdrawn his countenance and affedlion 
from them ; but, 1 truft in Providence that I am 
not referved for this additional calamity ! — Mr. 
B******'s finances could by no means keep pace 
with the liberality of his mind, and in my dif- 
treffed circumftances it was abfolutely neceffary to 
find out fome other fource of relief: I therefore, 
in the month of March, 1791, (Mr. Coghlan 
being then involved in a law-fuit with his niece. 
Lady Blake) by the advice of my prod;or, (Mr. 
Walker, of Dodors Commons) petitioned the 
Court of Delegates, before whom the faid caufe 
was to be heard. A petition from his wife, dated 
from a prifon, to which his brutality had con- 
demned her, alarmed his tender feelings ; and 

thus. 



( I09 ) 

thus, as I have already obferved, I obtained a 
prefent fupply, and a promife of an adequate 
fettlementj on condition that I would withdraw 
the petition. To this I confented, and the re- 
fult of my compliance was, a mutual agreement 
to execute articles of feparation, which are, more- 
over and neverthelejs^ as the gentlemen of the robe 
are pleafed to term it, only during our mutual 
pleafure ; the lail claufe of my deed of fettle- 
ment compelling me to return home to this kind^ 
affe£iionate hujhand whenever his caprice fhould 
induce him to require it. 

Thus feparated from him, on the 26th of De- 
cember, 1 79 1, I received fecurity for an annuity 
of an hundred pounds for my life, fubje6t to the 
condition above mentioned. But, alas ! I had no 
fooner obtained it, than the accompliflied, vir- 
tuous milliner who had fo eflentially contributed 
to my diflreffes, by encouraging me in that ftupid 
fyftem of extravagance on which her prefent for- 
tune was raifed, and which exalted her to the 
enviable rank of an honeft married lady, like a 
tygrefs darting upon the wretched vidim of her 

favage 



( "o ) 

favage appetite, feized on me, infifting that I 
fhould give immediate fecurity for her debt — a 
debt contra6led {or gew-gaw frippery and tinjelled^ 
flimjy trumpery. I had already, in the courfe of a 
very fhort time, paid this harpy fourteen hundred 
pounds, for articles of this like defcription. The 
humane reader will revolt with abhorrence on find- 
ing that this woman, after fuch emoluments 
derived from my folly, fhould proceed againft me 
for. another debt of three hundred pounds^ which, I 
am morally convinced, I did not owe ; but for 
which fhe abfolutely compelled me to affign over 
fifty pounds a year of my annuity to her, for the 
four enfuing years, which now helps to fupport 
her and a banker's clerk, whom fhe has lately 
taken to her virtuous bed^ in the eafe and luxury 
which they fe^m to enjoy. When it is remem- 
bered how many unfortunate, unexperienced 
women this extortioner has plundered, not only 
with impunity but fuccefs — how many wretched 
female captives fhe has held (and I believe ftill 
holds) in jail — the fortune fhe has acquired by 
conflant impofitions on youthful folly and credu- 
lity, — it muft excite regret that there are no laws 

in 



Ill 



) 



in force to ftop the depredations of fimilar mif- 
creants, almoft as great nuifances in fociety as 
thofe low pettyfogging attornies with whom, for 
the moft part, they are conneded, and between 
whom fuch an attractive fympathy exifts. For 
my own part, I am fo well acquainted with their 
enormous charges, and the fatal confequences of 
them, that I would rather trufh for mercy to the 
tendernefs of a wolf, than to a civilized barbarian 
like the lady of whom I am now fpeaking ; and 
I am convinced, from woeful experience, that the 
generaHty of perfons in trade, with whom unpro- 
teded females have any pecuniary dealings, would 
be over-paid in receiving one third of their over- 
charged, extravagant demands. — The reader may 
believe this picture exaggerated, but I can aflure 
him // is not ; hundreds of thoughtlefs women, 
befides myfelf, having fallen within her fnares, 
and from her may date their ruin. To her alone 
I am indebted for two years clofe confinement in 
a jail, where wretchednefs and vice of every de- 
fcription rule triumphant — where no remedy is 
applied to the relief of one, or the fuppreffion 
of the other — where every comfort, every virtue, 

is 



( "2 ) 

is left to depend on the guinea in our pockets, 
and where they who have it not have only the 
cafual charity of prifoners themfelves to depend 
on. 

There, even in that gloomy manfion ! I have 
often beheld vice and infenfibility triumphant; 
virtue and tendernefs of heart dejeded and in 
tears. The unfortunate friend, whofe amiable 
confidence has involved him in debts he was 
unable to pay, I have here beheld languijfhing, in 
want of thofe necelTaries which in happier days he 
himfelf had fo freely adminiftered to others. The 
veteran foldier, all covered with wounds which he 
had received in battle in the fervice of his king, 
I have there beheld dying with hunger, naked 
and forfaken, caft on the common fide, a prey to 
filth and vermin, too proud and confcious of his 
own merit to expofe his emaciated forlorn figure 
to the curious refearches of his fellow prifoners, 
chufing rather to die than trufh to precarious 
bounty, fenfible of his juft claims on thofe with 
whom pity, alas ! is fo feldom refident. During 
my refidence in the King's Bench, the gallant 

Captain 



( "3 ) 

Captain Abbot, of the royal artillery, than whom 
no man in the army had ever ferved with more 
diftinguifhed merit, died, literally in that prifon, 
through want, in the fituation which I have de- 
fcribed. This brave man had a wife and three 
children, who were all drowned on their voyage 
from America. But all his fufferings, all his fer- 
vices, were of no avail ! he was thus left to die 
without a fmgle enquiry from the part of govern- 
ment concerning him ; and to the immortal 

honour of a noble Duke, (M r G 1 of 

the ordnance) taken advantage of his imprifon- 
ment, he fufpended him from his fituation, as 
captain in the royal artillery. Oh ! that I could 
for ever efface the dreadful fcene from my memory ! 
as it was my misfortune to have known the gen- 
tleman of whom I now fpeak in America, but 
the impreffion is too deep on my heart. 

Shortly after the death of this my lamented 
friend, I obtained my releafe from the King's 
Bench, but not from the liberality of thofe who 
confined me ; on the contrary, I was under the 
neceffity of pleading my coverture in the Court 

of 



( "4 ) 

of King's Bench, where I obtained a rule of 
court to fet afide a deed which I had formerly 
fignedj and which my Situation as a married 
woman made illegal. Thus I was for a time 
liberated from confinement, and in the month of 
January following I had occafion to fummon up 
all my fortitude. Although fuperftition be a 
failing to which I am by no means addided, ftill 
the following circumfhance may, in the opinion 
of fome, expofe me to the fufpicion of being 
under the influence of that frailty : — In all my 
days of diffipated pleafure and heart-rending 
affli(5lions, never did an hour pafs that my father 
did not prefent himfelf to my imagination. At 
this time I dreamed I beheld his funeral, with 
my youngeft brother as his chief mourner, and 
on the coflin of the deceafed lay a bleeding heart. 
This dream made fuch an effed: upon my fenfes, 
that no perfon could induce me to believe my 
father was not adiually dead ; and fuch was the 
afcendency of my fears, that I abfolutely put on 
deep mourning on the occaflon. In my fable 
robes I one day met Colonel Small, (an old 
friend of my father's) who exprefled much fur- 

prife 



( 115 ) 

prife on feeing me arrayed in thefe melancholy 
emblems of grief, and inquired into the caufe. 
I replied, it were not from thefe outward figns 
of forrow he was to judge, as what I fuffered for 
the lofs of a much loved father furpaffed all 
fhew. The Colonel anfwered, '' Your father is 
'' in perfect health, as I am informed by Colonel 
" Kemble, who received letters from him early 
" in December." 

It was a vain attempt of his friends to per- 
fuade me ; the dream had made fuch a deep 
impreffion on my mind that I perfifted to exprefs 
a certain convicflion that he was dead, and gone 
to receive the reward of his many virtues ; and, 
alas ! the following month realized my fatal ap- 
prehenfions refpedling his death, as he had fin- 
ijQied his mortal career on the icth of December, 
179 1, in the city of New-York, having buril an 
artery of his heart. 

To leave the world with the high reputation 
which he enjoyed, fhould ever be the bright 
emulation of man. He was univerfally and 

15 mofl 



( "6 ) 

moft juftly beloved by all who knew him. His 
remains were followed to the grave by three 
hundred people, his pall borne by eight of the 
principal gentlemen of New- York ; and he was 
interred in Trinity Church, in the fame tomb 
with his friend Colonel Maitland, uncle to Lord 
Lauderdale, who, in dying, made it the laft 
requeft that his afhes fhould be mixed with my 
father's. — How different the end of his near rela- 
tion and friend, the late Colonel Moncrieffe," 
lately killed, fighting in the caufe of the com- 
bined powers, before the walls of Dunkirque ! — 
His kindnefs to me was never interrupted. He 
was wont to fympathife with my forrows, and to 
take compaffion on my follies : and it was fo 
much the more cruel that I fhould lofe him at a 
moment when friends are fo very, very fcarce. 
Oh ! that I could have evinced my gratitude by 
attending the brave dying foldier in his laft 
moments ! I would have bound his bleeding 
wound, and, without refped to political opinions, 
dropping the fympathetic tear over his mangled 
corpfe, have cheerfully braved the danger that 
put a period to his exiftence ! 

My 



( ."7 ) 

My father's death now drew upon me once 
more the attention of my creditors, who always 
confidered me entitled to a fortune when that 
event fhould take place. But fuch was the hap- 
lefs fate of the furviving children of this gallant 
hero, that they difcovered the reward of their 
parent's loyalty to be — a total deprivation of all 
his property in America ! — I had been only four 
rnonths releafed from a long and dreadful con- 
finement, inflided on me by the laws of a free 
country, when I was again arrefted, and commit- 
ted, for the fecond time, a prifoner to the King's 
Bench ; and, however repugnant to my own 
feelings, I found myfelf under the necefTity of 
defending the unjuft adions for which I was 
confined. In one of thefe caufes I had occafion 
for more courage than I naturally pofiefied ; but, 
fupported by an honefi:, upright heart, I un- 
dauntedly repaired to the Court of King's Bench 
to meet my opponents, relying upon the candour 
of that honourable tribunal to afford me that 
jufliice which I claimed. Had my purfuit, like 
that of Diogenes, been feekingfor an honefi: man, 
I fiiould not, perhaps, have explored a court of 

law. 



( "8 ) 

law, wherein to find fo rare an objed: however, 
in the midft of my embarraffment and confufion, 
excited by the caufe which brought me there, and 
by the indecent, impertinent queftions put to 

me by the plaintiff's counfel, Mr. M , I felt 

myfelf much relieved by the able defence made 
in my favour by that ornament of his profefTion, 
Mr. Erlkine." 

It is much to be lamented, that barrifters, in 
the courfe of their profeffional purfuits, fhould 
confider themfelves warranted in tormenting wit- 
neffes, (however refpedable or entitled to their 
compaffion) by the moft cruel and irrevalent 
queftions : I am forry to obferve, that the habit- 
ual practices of Mr. M expofe him, perhaps, 

more than any other of his profefTion, to this 
cenfure. In faying this, I am aware that I fay a 
great deal, but the little indulgence fhewn to me 
by this advocate, under the moft trying circum- 
ftances, warrants more than I have faid ; and it 
will be a fatisfadion to me if this ftiould ever 
reach him, and he fhould profit by the rebuke. 



My 



( "9 ) 

My brother, Edward Cornwallls Moncrieffe, 
of the fixtieth regiment, now on half pay, could 
not be an idle fpedator of my misfortunes. 
With him I continued in correfpondence ; he 
pitied my diftrefs, and generoufly offered to di- 
vide his fortune with me, provided my creditors 
would confent to fign in my favour a letter of 
licence for a few years. At the fame time he 
advanced a fum of money to raife my drooping 
head, and to footh the miferies of the King's 
Bench prifon. That heart which has ever made 
me an unfufpe6ling, unhappy victim to the over- 
reaching tricks of lawyers, again expofed me to 
fuffer from them. The vileft of this profeffion 
are thofe who promife the fair eft ; and hence I 
again employed one of thefe hopeful plunderers 
of fociety, thofe pettyfoggers who live upon the 
diftrefles of the unfortunate, to defend the remain- 
ing actions for which I was confined, and to effed: 
my liberation gave him fixty pounds of the money 
that had been given me by my brother ; but, 
'nftead of purfuing my intereft in the friendly 
manner I had a right to expedl, the money was 
devoted to pay a debt wherein I fuppofe his own 

intereil 



( I20 ) 

intereft was concerned. On this my brother 
again wrote to me, defiring me to take a copy of 
my grandfather's will out of Dodlors Commons : 
with his defire I complied, and for this fervice I 
was indebted to my much efleemed friend, Mr. 
Walker, the prodlor ; and as the teflator, my 
grandfather, left a large property in Hampfhire, 
I found it neceflary to vifit that place. I there- 
fore perfifted in making every effort to emanci- 
pate myfelf from the King's Bench, and in con- 
fequence obtained what I defired. Therefore, 
laft July I left town to pay a vifit to my mother's 
relations, who refide at Portfmouth and in its 
neighbourhood. Soon after my arrival there I 
made it my bufmefs to make every enquiry after 
my grandfather's property, and confidered it 
neceffary to prefent my claim. 

The gentleman who has fo honourably pofTefTed 
himfelf of the faid eflates is my coufin ; but when 
I inform the reader that he is a lawyer^ it will be 
a fufiicient apology for his too fcrupulous delicacy 
of confcience. This new-found relation affeded 
to receive me with extreme tendernefs, invited 

me 



( 121 ) 

me to fee the pidures of all my anceftors, and 
gave me every encouragement to fue for my 
grandfather's paternal eftate in Scotland, which he 
informed me had been feized by a diftant relation, 
under the fuppofition that all our grandfather's 
deeds, &c. were loft with his widow, at the 
time ihe was drowned ; but, on my obferving 
that I had a copy of his will, proved in the pre- 
rogative court, which abfolutely entitles myfelf 
and my brother to all his property, wherever we 
could find it, the honeft lawyer feemed alarmed, 
particularly as I affured him my brother was 
determined to inftitute a fuit in chancery for the 
purpofe of eftablifhing his claim. 

My female coufms were the firft to take alarm 
on my account, and they even went fo far as to 
declare me an impoftor. Thus I was under the 
necelTity of applying to Colonel Mulcafter, com- 
mandant engineer at Portfmouth, who was, dur- 
ing my father's life-time, one of his friends, and 
who knew me from my childhood. From him I 
obtained a certificate that I was the real daughter 
of Major MoncriefFe, and wife to Mr. John 

Coghlan. 



( 1^2 ) 

Coghlan. Thus having it in my power to con- 
fute the calumnies of my good coufins^ I waited on 
a very near relation, a Captain in the royal navy, 
a gentleman diftinguifhed for his maritime fkill, 
and not lefs fo for his private virtues. To him 
I confided my unhappy ftory, and received from 
him the advice to which adverfity is entitled, but 
which it rarely receives. Platonic friendfhip 
men are apt to hold in mockery ; and thence I 
was very foon accufed of having kindled tenderer 
fenfations in the bofom of my coufm, merely be- 
caufe he was a young widower, and had given me 
an invitation to his houfe, in which he offered me 
a fecure retreat — an afylum from every future 
fiorm : and with this honeil feaman I hoped to 
pafs the remainder of my days, bleffed with the 
affectionate fmiles of virtuous friendfhip. But, 
alas ! how tranfitory, how vain have my purfuits 
after tranquility and happinefs been ! I ever 
have grafped at a fhadow— the fubftance I could 
never attain. The paths of life are ftrewed with 
thorns, and when we even gather the rofe, we are 
unconfcious for the moment of the briars that 
grow beneath it, and which, in one moment, de- 

ftroy 



( 123 ) 

ftroy the fugitive phantom that our imagination 
had raifed. — This friend, who commanded a firft 
rate man of war, was ordered to the Weft-Indies. 

I now received an invitation from two aunts, 
who lived nine miles from Portfmouth. On my 
introdu6lion to thefe good women, I, who ever 
deteft falfehood, candidly acquainted them with 
every circumftance of my life ; and my mournful 
tale had fuch an effe6l, that I was bedewed with 
the affedionate tears of two relations, my mother's 
fifters : They accufed my hufband as the author 
of all my forrows, and were kind enough to ob- 
ferve, that a woman poflefrmg fuch fenfibility 
never could, from choice, purfue the dangerous 
paths of vice. Alas ! had it been my good fortune 
to have difcovered thefe amiable women when firft 
I fatally left my unkind hufband's roof, whatmifery 
fhould I have avoided ! With them the beauty I 
pofleffed would have ferved to make me an objedl 
of tendernefs and compaffion, at the fame time 
that it would have fet them on their guard againft 
the fnares placed againft me. With them I might 
have refided free from guilt, and my heart, from 

1 6 their 



( iH ) 

their inftrudtions and example, would have learned 
to pity and to pardon even the faults of him to 
whom the cuftoms of religion, although now fo 
fafhionably negledled, had united me. 

When I returned to Portfmouth, the abfence 
of my dear relation made me refolve to leave 
that place. I went therefore to Southampton, 
intending to make that town and Winchefter my 
route to London. In the courfe of my journey 
I met with the Reverend Mr. Radcliffe, brother 
to Mr. Fazakerley : the former gentleman ever 
fhared my efteem, and I only with Fortune had 
been more fparing of her favours to one brother, 
and more liberal to him who mofh deferved them. 
When I arrived at Southampton, it was impoffi- 
ble to obtain lodgings, the place was fo crouded. 
The arrival of a certain wealthy Lord, of Jewifh 
extradlion, had thrown the town into a ftate of 
confufion ; — not from any extraordinary merit 
his Lordfhip pofTefTed, — not from any extraor- 
dinary ftrength of mind or body, like his name- 
fake SampJoUj the Jew of antiquity ; but from 
that refped which riches always attrad, even when 

virtue 



( 1^5 ) 

virtue and wifdom fail. Of this accomplijhed, 
new-made peer, it was my intention to have given 
the reader a finifhed portrait ; but his Lordfhip, 
confcious of his own excellencies^ through a fingu- 
lar and meritorious delicacy, has entreated me to 
be {ilent on this fubje6l. As generofity has ever 
been the leading feature in my charader, I will 
fpare his exquifite fenfibility the recital of thofe 
fcenes in which he occafionally plays fuch a dif- 
tinguifhed part, and in which he is reported fo 
capitally to excel. — At Winchefter my eyes were 
attraded by the number of poor French emigrants 
who refide in that city, fix hundred and thirty of 
whom are daily fed by public fubfcription, and 
lodged in a palace of the moft liberal and charita- 
ble prince that ever graced the throne of Great- 
Britain. — In London, the firft fcene that pre- 
fented itfelf was a prifon, to which place my old 
acquaintances, the fheriff's officers, without cere- 
mony, conducted me. From thence I was almofl 
inftantly releafed, by the well-timed bounty of a 
perfed: ftranger : on thanking this flranger for 
his goodnefs, and requefting to know his name, 
he declined telling me to whom I was obliged, 

remarking, 



( 1^6 ) 

remarking, that he felt a fufficient reward to ref- 
cue a pretty woman from the confines of a prifon. 
This generous benefactor paid above forty pounds 
for my liberty, and I have never ceafed to lament 
that I ftill am ignorant of his place of refidence ; 
that by a difcovery of the latter, I might offer 
him the juft tribute of a fincerely grateful heart. 
The objed: of his goodnefs, however, was not 
accomplifhed, for fuch generofity only provokes 
frefh attacks from the watchful creditor and his 
nefarious attorney. Arreft after arreft purfues 
me, from a hope that friends will not permit me 
to remain long in confinement. My whole debts 
it is impoffible for me to pay, as they almoft all 
arife from folly and extravagance, and far exceed 
my means ; but on calculating all my real debts^ 
I am certain four hundred pounds would dif- 
charge them. But to raife that fum, where is 
my hope ? Alas ! I have no other than in the 
gallantry and liberality of the Britifh nation — a 
nation that ftands eminently confpicuous on the 
rolls of fame for ads of charity and munificence ! 
But let not oftentatious deeds, rehearfed with all 
the pomp of declamation and public acclaim, im- 
pede 



( 1^7 ) 

pede the milder but not lefs meritorious perform- 
ance of private benevolence : — I was nurfed in 
the lap of luxury — my mind foftened, and per- 
haps in fome degree debauched by early enjoy- 
ments. In thofe hours I never wanted friends; 
it is only now that they keep far off! But let 
me hope this faint effort of a very imperfe6l pen, 
of one unufed to literary effays, may ftill produce 
the means of foothing thofe forrows by which her 
life has of late been embittered. She fubmits 
her fimple narrative to the public, and particu- 
larly to that circle of fociety in which Ihe herfelf 
was wont to figure with fome degree of eclat. 
Let it not be faid, that fhe who never fued in 
vain in the foft hours of luxurious dalliance, 
fhould now apply in vain, when fhe is fain to be- 
lieve that fhe exhibits fome teftimony of her claim 
to their protedion. 

Other female candidates for their favour have 
formerly appealed to their generous indulgence ; 
mofl of them alfo were, like her, unfortunate. 
It would ill become the author to fay, if their 
pretentions were worfe or better founded ; as far 

as 



{ 128 ) 

as her own opinion goes, the wretched are equally 
entitled to the patronage of the rich ; the only 
diftindion which ought to be made confifts in this 
undeniable truth — the more wretched the indi- 
vidual, the more forcible that individual's claims. 
On this ground her pretenfions are indifputable : 
but fhe has others, and fhe fubmits them, not 
only to the nation at large^ but to the confidera- 
tion of that great per/onage, within whofe reach 
fhe fincerely hopes that her poor Memoirs may 
fall. Let him refled:, that fhe is of a family dif- 
tinguifhed for their loyalty to his per Jon and gov- 
ernment — feveral of whom have bled, and fome 
have died in his fervice. Ah ! let not the fources 
of royal munificence be dried up ! let the daugh- 
ter of a man, known in perfon by his merit, not 
folicit in vain from the fountain of all mercy, or 
at leafh from that fountain where mercy ought to 
flow ! Amidft the fevere examples of punifli- 
ment (perhaps of necejfary punifhment) that we 
now behold, let them not be unaccompanied with 
fome few partial a6ls of Heaven-born Charity. 
The fubjed of thefe Memoirs is in deep diftrefs 
— diftrefs unknown to palaces, and may it never 

approach 



( 1^9 ) 

approach them ! But, if the higheft ranks keep 
aloof from poverty, where, alas ! is it to feek a 
fhelter ? Let us look to the fad reverfes inci- 
dental to the human lot : not long fince, when 
the lofty turrets of Verfailles feemed, as it were, 
to touch the fkies — when the gay, thoughtlefs 
inhabitants thereof, perhaps too negledlful of 
thofe dreadful fcenes that furrounded their gor- 
geous palaces, little dreamt of what was to befal 
them ! — had they difplayed more zeal, had they 
fhewn more attention to private or public woe, 
it is not unlikely that all which has happened, 
and all which is likely to happen, might have 
been avoided. 

In this country, renowned for its free and equal 
laws, where we are told there are no diftin6lions, 
let not Poverty be fuffered to rear her ghaftly 
mien ; let not the free-born fpirit fink under the 
depreffion of indigence ! It is fuch dreadful 
abufes that damp the ardour of patriotic loyalty, 
and infpire difguft where all elfe would be zeal 
and gratitude. 

It has been too often and barbaroufly alledged, 

that 



( 13^ ) 

that perfons bring their misfortunes on them- 
felves, and therefore are entitled to no indulgence. 
Let fuch cruel, unjuft objedions be fcouted : they 
are the fpurious, miferable objections of proud 
Profperity : Humanity rejeds them. Are no 
allowances to be made for the frailties of inexpe- 
rienced, unprotected youth ? Are the perfons who 
raife the objection exempt from thofe very frail- 
ties they impute to others ? Oh, no ! but riches 
and power yield a fhelter againft every enormity. 

" Clothe fin with robes, 

" And the ftrong lance of juftice hurtlefs breaks : 

" Clothe it in rags, 

" A pigmies ftraw does break it ; 

" Robes and fur gowns hide all." * 

Such are the pitiful pretexts of Avarice, invented 
by Opulence, againfl the claims of Poverty ! 

If the throne would fet an illuftrious example, 
and attempt to deftroy that inequality of condi- 
tion which now prevails, revolutions would be no 
longer heard of, mifery be banifhed from the 
earth, the temptations to vice would be done 
away, and the frivolous definitions of monarchies 

and 

* Shakefpear. 



( tjl ) 

and republics would excite no difcuffion ; men 
would rejoice under thofe governmtnes where 
they found liberty beft protected. — In England, 
the fovereign has undoubtedly many virtues ; no 
perfon, perhaps, has fewer vices : but kings fhould 
never negled: the opportunity of doing good. 
Negative praife is rarely beneficial ; but active 
virtue is what the world, according to its prefent 
conftitution, requires. 

Princes are confidered as Gods ; they fhould at 
leaft ad: like men. What is the firft duty of man ? 
To relieve the wants of his fellow creatures, to 
prevent thofe horrible fcenes of diflrefs which 
hourly prefent themfelves. 

In England we all look up to the throne as 
the focus where every virtue is or ought to be 
concentered ; there we admire private oeconomy, 
connubial fidelity, domeftic accomplifhments, 
and honourable punduality ! It were to be 
lamented, that an inattention to the calamities of 
the public, or even of private individuals, fallen 
within its knowledge, fhould obfcure the luftre of 
thofe virtues. 

17 Example 



( 132 ) 

Example and experience are two inftrudive 
monitors : the people are led by one, and princes 
fhould frojit by the other. 

The vices or virtues of the community depend 
on the governments under which they live. 
" When the righteous are in authority, the people 
"rejoice ; but when the wicked are in power, the 
" people mourn.** 

How incumbent, therefore, is it in princes to 
profit from experience, to inculcate good ex- 
amples : in that cafe we fhould be no longer 
melancholy witnefles to the horrors that have 
been defcribed ; no longer that difcord and dif- 
fention would prevail in fociety which threaten 
the very exiflence of the adual eftablifhments ! 
we fhould be all leagued in one bond of confra- 
ternity ; and the author of thefe iheets, without 
having been condemned to weep over fo many of 
her family, fallen in the wars of Britain, would 
have efcaped thofe terrible ftripes of mifery which 
fhe, in her own perfon, has fuffered. 

May the reprefentation of God on earth, in 

thefe 



( ^33 ) 

thefe realms, yield to the voice of univerfal 
mercy ; and may he, amidft the general impulfe, 
extend its rays to her, than whom none can have 
more forcible claims on the fcore of want, or on 
the merits of her worthy and loyal family ! 

December 7, 1793. 



Finis 



NOTES. 



(i.) Richard Montgomery was born at Convoy Houfe, the feat of his 
father, Thomas Montgomery, near Raphoe, County Donegal, on the 22d of 
December, 1736. Before he was eighteen years old he obtained a commif- 
fion in the Britifh Army, and in 1757 commenced his career of adtive fervice 
in America, and at the fiege of Louifburg, in 1758, and elfewhere, gave 
evidence of high military capacity. Several years after his return to Ireland 
he endeavored to fecure his promotion to a majority ; failing in this purfuit, 
he fold his commiflion, and in 1772 emigrated to America, renewed his for- 
mer acquaintance with the family of Robert R. Livingfton, and in Auguft, 
1773, married his eldeft daughter Janet, the fifter of Chancellor Livingfton. 
He never intended to draw his fword again, and wifhed for retirement ; but 
when the Revolutionary War broke out, he' immediately engaged in it, and 
was appointed one of the Eighth Brigadier-Generals to ferve in the newly- 
organized army of the United Colonies. 

He was immediately attached to the larger of the two divifions fent to 
Canada in the fummer of 1775, and early in September found himfelf in 
front of the fortrefs of St. Johns. Schuyler becoming ill, and having returned 
to Albany, Montgomery affumed the command of the divifion, and by a 
feries of well-diredled movements, fucceffively acquired pofleffion of Chambly, 
St. Johns and Montreal, and in November became the mafter of a great 
part of Canada. On the third of December, at Point Aux Trombles, he 
made a jundtion with Arnold, and about noon on the fifth Montgomery 
appeared before Quebec, to take the ftrongeft fortified city in America, de- 
fended by more than 200 cannons and a garrifon of twice the number of 
befiegers. Upon their arrival before the town, Montgomery wrote a letter 
to the Governor, magnifying his own ftrength, ftating the weaknefs of the 
garrifon, and demanding an immediate furrender to avoid the dreadful con- 
fequences of a ftorm } but Cafleton refufed to hold any communication with 



( 136 ) 



him, and every effort at correfpondence with the citizens failed. He there- 
fore commenced a bombardment with five fmall mortars, which continued 
feveral days, but did no effential injury to the garrifon. In a few days Mont- 
gomery opened a fix-gun battery, at about Ceven hundred yards diftance from 
the walls, but his metal was too light to produce any confiderable effeft. 

In the meantime the fnow lay deep upon the ground, and the feverity of 
the climate was fuch that human nature feemed incapable of withftanding 
its force in the field. The hardfhips and fatigues which the American 
foldiers underwent, both from the feafon and the fmallnefs of their 
numbers, feemed incredible, and could only be endured from their enthu- 
fiaftic adherence to their caufe, and through the affedlion or efteem which 
they bore to their General. This conftancy muft however fail, if the evils 
were increafed, or too long continued. The time for which many of the 
foldiers had engaged was expiring, and Montgomery felt that fomething deci- 
five must be immediately done, or that the benefit of his pafl: fucceffes would, 
in a great degree, be loft to the caufe in which he was engaged, and his own 
renown, which now fhone in great luftre, be dimmed, if not obfcured. He 
knew the Americans would confider Quebec as taken from the inftant that 
they heard of his arrival before it, and therefore determined upon a defperate 
attempt to take the place by efcalade. 

As the time for the affault drew near, three captains in Arnold's battalion 
created difienfion, and fhowed a mutinous difaffeftion to the fervice. Mont- 
gomery addrefi'ed the officers, and his words recalled them to their duty, but 
hurried him into a refolution to attempt capturing Qjaebec before the firft of 
January, when his legal authority over the moft of his men would ceafe. 

A council of war was held on Chriftmas, and agreed to a night attack on 
the lower town. While he was making the necelTary preparations for this 
purpofe, it is faid that the garrifon received intelligence of it from fome de- 
ferters, fo that every preparation was made againft a furprife. Early in the 
morning of the laft day of the year, and under cover of a violent fnow ftorm, 
he proceeded to this arduous attempt, and that the troops might recognize one 
another, each foldier wore in his cap a piece of white paper, on which fome 
of them wrote " Liberty or death." 

He had difpofed of his little army in four divifions, of which two carried 



( 137 ) 



on falfe attacks againft the upper town, whilft himfelf and Arnold conduced 
two real againft oppofite parts of the lower. By this means the alarm was 
general, and might have difconcerted the moft experienced troops. The 
General, who referved for his own party lefs than three hundred Yorkers, led 
them, in Indian file, from head-quarters at Holland House to Wolfe's Cave, 
and then about two miles further along the fhore. The path was fo rough 
in feveral places that they were obliged to fcramble up flant rocks covered 
with fnow, and then, with a precipice to their right, to defcend by Aiding 
down fifteen or twenty feet. 

The fignal for engaging had been given more than half an hour too foon j 
the General, however, prelfed on, feized and pafled the firft barrier, and ac- 
companied by a few of his braveft officers and men, marched boldly at the 
head of their detachment to attack the fecond. 

This barrier was ftronger than the firft, and defended by a battery of three- 
pounders loaded with grape. Montgomery preffed forward at double quick 
to carry the battery. As he appeared on a little rifing in the ground, at a 
diftance of fifty yards or lefs from the mouths of the cannon, Barnsfare dif- 
charged them with deadly aim. 

Montgomery, his aid Macpherfon, Cheefman, and ten others, inftantly fell 
dead — Montgomery from three wounds. With him the foul of the expedi- 
tion fled. The command devolved upon Donald Campbell, who immediately 
retired without any further effort, and without lofs. 

Thus fell Richard Montgomery. The excellency of his qualities and dif- 
pofition had procured him an uncommon fhare of private affed:ion, as his 
abilities had of public efteem ; and there was probably no man engaged on 
the fame fide, and few on either, whofe lofs would have been fo much re- 
gretted in America and England. 

At the news of his death, every perfon feemed to have loft his neareft re- 
lative or friend. Congrefs proclaimed for him " their grateful remembrance, 
profound refpedl, and high veneration j ^nd defiring to tranfmit to future ages 
a truly worthy example of patriotic conduft, boldnefs of enterprife, infuper- 
able perfeverance, and contempt of danger and death," they reared a marble 
monument " to the glory of Richard Montgomery." The moft powerful 
fpeakers in the Britifli Parliament difplayed their eloquence in praifing his 



( 13^ ) 



virtues and lamenting his fate. A great orator and veteran fellow foldier 
of his in the late war, fhed abundance of tears, whilft he expatiated on their 
faft friendfhip and participation of fervice in that feafon of enterprife and 
glory. 

In i8l8 his remains were difmterred and conveyed to New York, and de- 
pofited in St. Paul's Church, near the monument erefted to his memory. 
His widow furvived him more than half a century. 

(2.) Jane McCrea was murdered on the 27th June, 1777, by a party of 
Indians attached to Gen. Burgoyne's army. She was fiezed in the houfe of 
a Mrs. McNiel, about 80 rods north of Fort Edward. The Indians placed 
her upon a horfe, which feems to have been provided for the occafion, and 
afcended the hill near the Fort. All their motions were intently watched 
from the Fort, and at this point the difcharge of fome rifles was heard, and 
Jane was feen to fall from her horfe. The operation of the tomahawk and 
fcalping knife was quickly performed, and the body foon dragged forward out 
of fight of the Fort. This fcene was enafted about mid-day, and the next 
morning the body of Jane was recovered and buried in a rude and hafty 
grave. 

At the time of her death fhe was about twenty-three years of age, of mid- 
dling ftature, finely formed, dark hair, and uncommonly beautiful. 

(3.) William Livingston, fifth child of Philip and Catharine Livingfton, 
was born in Albany, in the province of New York, in November, 1723, and 
was entered a Frefhman in Yale College in 1737. In 1741 he graduated 
at the head of his clafs, immediately after which he left New Haven for New 
York to commence the flrudy of the law. 

On the 14th Odlober, 1748, he received a licenfe to pra£lice figned by 
Governor George Clinton. 

In 1752, with Wm. Smith, Jr., he publifhed the firft digeft of the Colony 
Laws. In 1754, with his brother Philip and his brother-in-law William 
Alexander, afterwards Lord Stirling, he laid the foundation of a City Library, 
the fame that now bears the name of the Society Library of New York, In 
1759 he was eledled to the Aifembly of New York, and in 1772 removed to 



( 139 ) 



Elizabethtown, in New Jerfey. He was eledled to Congrefs in 1774, and again 
in 1775, was recalled in June, 1776, and early in June of that year took 
command of the Militia, at Elizabethtown, as Brigadier-General. 

After the depofition of William Franklin (fon of Benjamin Franklin), he 
was elefted Governor of New Jerfey, and remained in office until the clofe 
of his life. 

He died in Elizabethtown, July 25, 1790, and was interred there, and in 
courfe of the following winter his remains, together with thofe of his wife, 
were removed to the vault of his fon Brockholft, in New York. 

(4.) Israel Putnam was born in Salem, Mafs., on the 7th of January, 
.1718, and grew to manhood with a frame inured to hardfhip and toil, but 
with a mind uncultivated, though vigorous. At the age of twenty-one he 
commenced farming, at Pomfret, Conn., where he " purfued the even tenor 
of his way," undiftinguifhed by any noticeable event (except the encounter 
with the " fhe wolf," which, in the courfe of years, has been fo grofsly ex- 
aggerated by his biographers, as to place it almoft among the fabulous events 
of hiftory), until 1755, when he engaged in the French and Indian War, 
as captain of a company in Col. Lyman's Regiment of Provincials. During 
the campaign under Gen. Johnfon at Lake George and vicinity, he performed 
various fcouting fervice, with little fuccefs or credit to himfelf. It was dur- 
ing this campaign that feveral of the ftirring adventures occurred upon which 
his wonderful reputation for bravery has been mainly eredled — fuch as that 
of his blanket having been perforated hy fourteen bullets, while he was giving 
"leg bail" to a party of Indians who had furprifed him, etc. But the one 
adventure, which is beft authenticated, is the fa6l of his having been captured 
(through his own carelefTnefs and imprudence) by the Indians, who would 
have fucceeded in roafting him at the ftake, had it not been for the interfer- 
ence of a French officer; and being finally taken to Montreal, he was ex- 
changed through the kind intereft of Col. Peter Schuyler, who was his fellow 
prifoner. After the clofe of this war, Putnam returned to Pomfret, where 
he exercifed the double vocation of farmer and tavern-keeper. When, how- 
ever, "the news from Lexington" reached Pomfret, Lieut. -Colonel Putnam 
(he had received a militia commiffion in Odlober, 1774) was ploughing; it 

18 



( I40 ) 



Is said, that he immediately left his oxen in the furrow, mounted his horfe, 
and rode off to Cambridge, and with equal promptnefs many other New Eng- 
land farmers sprang to arms upon that eventful day. He was foon made 
Colonel of the Third Regiment of Connefticut foldiers, with the rank of 
Second Brigadier of the Provincial Troops. In the affair of Noddle's Ifland, 
(May 27, 1775,) Putnam feems to have gained more credit than the fafts of 
hiftory warrant, and through the influence thus acquired, received the appoint- 
ment (in June, 1775) of Major-General in the Continental Army, much to 
the chagrin of Wafhington, and other prominent Maffachufetts and Con- 
necticut officers. At the battle of Bunker Hill he was prefent 5 but, although 
his biographers have made this the culminating point of their glorification of 
him, the calm, impaffioned fearchings of hiftory fail to award him the credit 
of doing anything more, on that eventful day, than keeping well out of the 
way of harm. He afterwards took the command of New York, until 
fuperfeded by Wafhington's perfonal prefence in that city, which placed 
him virtually without command. Unfortunately, however, the illnefs of 
Gen. Greene induced Wafhington to allow Putnam to take his command 
in the fuperintendence of the defences which were then in courfe of erection 
upon Long Ifland. But Putnam had neither the fubordination to obey the 
orders with whofe execution he was intrufted, the fkill to carry out the pro- 
pofed plans of defence, or the ordinary common fenfe which he might reafon- 
ably have been expefted to difplay in the face of an approaching enemy, for 
he neglefted his inftructions, undid, in part, what his able predeceffor had 
done, and fo carelefsly defended the moft important avenue of approach, that 
he was eafily flanked, the whole army foundly whipped, and New York loft 
to the patriot caufe. After the retreat into Weftchefter, he was ordered to 
Philadelphia, where, and at Princeton, he remained until the fpring of 1777. 
Then he was ordered to the command of the Hudfon Highlands, where his 
ignorance or habitual careleffnefs led him — again in direft violation of Wafti- 
ington's orders — to repeat the very blunders which he had committed on Long 
Ifland, and which enabled Sir Henry Clinton, by the capture of Forts Mont- 
gomery and Clinton, to fieze the key-pofition of the Highlands. In Novem- 
ber, 1777, Col. Hamilton was fent by Walhington with fpecial orders to 
Gen. Putnam, to fend feveral brigades in his command to the army then in 



( 141 ) 



Pennfylvania. Gen. Putnam, however, was juft then too intent on a plan of 
his own for capturing New York, to obey the orders of his chief, and only 
complied on the receipt of a fcathing and determined letter from Wafhington 
himfelf His delay in complying with orders caufed the fall of Fort Mifflin, 
the lofs of Red Bank, and the defences on the Delaware, and the continued 
occupation during the enfuing winter of Philadelphia by the Britifh. The 
official invelVigation by Congrefs, of the caufes of the fall of the forts in the 
Highlands, refulted in the fuperfedure of Putnam by Gen. McDougal, and 
he was afterwards fent to Connedlicut to fuperintend the forwarding of new 
levies. During this term of fervice occurred another of the General's feries 
of remarkable efcapes, in which, being purfued by Britifh troopers, the " well- 
trained and fagacious " horfe which he rode, llid down the hill at Horfe Neck, 
(now Greenwich,) bearing his mafter fafely out of reach of the foe — an ex- 
ploit, for which the horfe has always got lefs, and the General more praife 
than they feverally deferved — and which has furniihed a favorite theme for 
fchool hiftories and artiftical abortions. The command at Weft Point was 
the laft which Putnam held. In 1779, an attack of paralyfis rendered him 
incapable of any aftive fervice, and the remainder of his days were fpent in 
quiet retirement, in Brooklyn, Conn., where he died May 29, 1790, at the 
age of 72 years. Putnam was a well-meaning man, of no great mental 
abilities, yet with a great deal of obftinacy and felf-fufficiency in his compofi- 
tion. He was rough, hearty and pleafant in his intercourfe with his foldiers 
and others, but was not a good difciplinarian. He was, in faft, a man whom 
adventitious circumftances, and a bogus reputation, had placed into a pofition 
which he lacked the education or the ability to maintain with honor to him- 
felf or benefit to the caufe. That this was the opinion of Wafhington is 
fufficiently evident from the correfpondence of that period, as well as from 
the faft that, after the battle of Bunker Hill, he was kept, as far as poffible, 
in fuch fubordinate commands as feemed beft fuited to his very ordinary 
abilities. Even there, however, his blunders refulted in ferious difafters to 
the American arms ; and happy it would have been for him if his fellow 
citizens of Connefticut, and his biographers, had not fo lavifhly extolled his 
ordinary and homely qualities which he pofTefTed, and fo magnificently em- 
bellilhed the adventures of his earlier life. 



( 142 ) 



(5-) Thomas Mifflin was born about the year 17445 ^^s parents were 
Quakers, and his education was entrufted to the care of Dr. Smith, with 
whom he was connected in habits of cordial intimacy and friendship for more 
than forty years. 

He engaged early in oppofition to the meafures of the Britifh Parliament, 
and was a member of the firft Congrefs in 1774. 

He took up arms, and was among the firft officers commiffioned in the 
organization of the Continental Army, being appointed Quartermafter-Gen- 
eral in Auguft 1775. In 1777 he was very ufeful in animating the militia; 
but he was alfo fufpefted in this year of being unfriendly to Wafhington, and 
of wifhing to have fome other perfon in his place. In 1787 he was a mem- 
ber of the Convention which framed the Conftitution of the United States. 
In 1778 he fucceeded Benjamin Franklin as Prefident of the Supreme 
Council of Pennfylvania, and held that ftation till Oftober, 1790. In Sep- 
tember a conftitution for this State was formed by a convention, in which he 
was prefident, and he was chofen the firft Governor. 

In 1794 he was fucceeded by Mr. McKean, and at the clofe of 1799 
died in Lancafter, Pennfylvania. 

(6.) General Henry Knox was born in Bofton on the 25th of July, 
1750. Before the American Revolution broke out he difcovered an un- 
common zeal in the caufe of liberty. Being placed at the head of an in- 
dependent company in Bofton he exhibited in this ftation a fkill in difcipline 
which prefaged his future eminence. At the unanimous requeft of all the 
officers of artillery he was entrufted with the command in that department. 
In 1776 it was determined to increafe the corps of artillery to three regi- 
ments, the command of which was given to Knox, who was promoted to 
the rank of Brigadier-General. He was actively engaged during the whole 
conteft, and after the capture of Cornwallis in 178 1 he received the com- 
miffion of Major-General, having diftinguifhed himfelf in the fiege at the 
head of the artillery. In 1785 he became Secretary-at-War, and continued 
to fill the department till the clofe of 1794, when he refigned it, the 
natural and powerful claims of a numerous family no longer permitting him 
to negled their effential interefts. During the laft years of his life he 



{ 143 ) 



refided in Thomafton, in the State of Maine. He failed in 1798, and it 
is faid for a very large amount, and that General Lincoln and Colonel 
Jackfon were fufferers by his failure. His death, which took place Oft. 
25, 1806, v.'as occafioned by his fwallowing the bone of a chicken. He was 
diftinguiflied for his military talents, and poflefTed, in an uncommon degree, 
the efteem and confidence of Wafhington. 

(7.) Sir William Howe, brother of Richard, Earl Howe, was born 
Auguft 10, 1729; he commanded the light infantry, under Wolfe, in the 
battle on the Heights of Abraham in 1759. He landed in Bofton in May, 
1775, as fucceflbr to General Gage, and continued there until March, 1776, 
having aflured the Miniftry that he was not under the leaft apprehenfion of 
any attack from the Rebels. The King expefted that after wintering in 
Bofton he would, in May, or in the hrft week in June, fail for New York. 

General Wafhington, however, on the night of March 4, 1776, took 
pofTeflion of, and fortified Dorchefter Heights, and on the morning of the 
5th, the Britifh beheld, with aftoniihment and difmay, the forts which had 
fprung up in a night, and Howe found himfelf furpaffed in military fkill by 
officers whom he pretended to defpife. A council of war was called, and it 
was determined to attack the Americans ; 2,400 men were detailed and 
placed under command of Lord Percy to make the attack. A violent ftorm 
came up fi-om the South, two or three vefTels were driven afhore ; the rain 
fell in torrents on the 6th. The movement againft the Americans was 
further delayed till it became evident that the attempt muft end in the ruin 
of the Britifh army. Howe called a fecond council of war, and the inftant 
evacuation of the town was advifed. 

On the 15th General Wafhington gained poffeffion of Nook Hill, and 
with it the power of opening the highway from Roxbury to Bofton. 

The Britifh retreated precipitately, and the army, about 8,000 in number, 
and more than 1,100 refugees, began their embarkation at four in the morn- 
ing, and in lefs than fix hours they were all aboard 120 tranfports. 

Howe was among the laft to leave the town, and took paffage with the 
Admiral in the Chatham ; before ten they were under way. 

Howe retired to Halifax ; left there in June, then took poffelfion of 



( 144 ) 



Staten Ifland, where he was joined by Lord Howe. On the zyth Auguft, 
1776, he defeated the Americans on Long Ifland, and on the 13th of Sep- 
tember, 1776, took pofTefTion of the City of New York and was one of the 
commiffioners to offer peace. In July, 1777, he failed for the Chefapeake, 
entered Philadelphia on the 27th of September, and on the 4th of Odlo- 
ber, in the fame year, defeated the Americans at Germantown. In May, 
1778, he was fucceeded by Sir Henry Clinton, and foon afterwards returned 
to England. He died July 12, 1814. 

(8.) Major Montressor was General Gage's chief engineer in Boflon, 
and alfo ferved at the Siege of Charlefton. 

(9.) Hugh, Earl Percy (Ton of Hugh Smithfon, Earl of Percy and Duke 
of Northumberland), was born in the pariih of St. George, Hanover Square, 
Auguft 14, 1742, and came to America as Colonel of the Fifth Regiment of 
Foot, arriving at Bofton on the 4th of July, 1774. He ferved under Sir 
William Howe during the Siege of Bofton 5 bore a confpicuous part in the 
battle of Long Ifland, Auguft 27, 1776, and in the attack on Fort Wafhington 
in November of the fame year. 

On the 5th May, 1777, he failed for England, and on the 20th Novem- 
ber, fame year, took his feat in the Houfe of Lords — being at the time 
a lieutenant-general in the army. He died in London on the loth of July, 
18 17, aged 94 years. 

(9.'^) Colonel Small was a diftinguifhed Britifh officer, and his conduct 
in America was always equally diftinguilhed by acts of humanity and kiifd- 
nefs to his enemies, as by bravery and fidelity to the caufe he ferved. He was 
prefent at the battle of Bunker Hill 5 had been intimately acquainted with 
General Warren; faw him fall, and flew to fave him. In Colonel Trumbull's 
celebrated picture of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Small is reprefented feizing the 
muflcet of the grenadier to prevent the fatal blow, and fpeaking to his friend. 

Garden, in his " Anecdotes of the Revolutionary War," fays : " Paying a 
vifit to our ambalfador, Major Thomas Pinckney, ihortly after his eftablifli- 
ment in London, it was my good fortune to meet with Colonel Small, who, 



( 145 



in courfe of converfation, said, ' I have been fitting this morning to Colonel 
Trumbull for my portrait, he having done me the honor to place me in 
a very confpicuous fituation in his admirable reprefentation of the Battle of 
Bunker's Hill. But his politenefs far exceeds my claim to merit. He has 
exhibited me as turning afide the bayonet aimed by a grenadier at the breaft 
of General Warren. I would certainly have faved his life had it been in my 
power to do fo, but when I reached the fpot on which his. body lay the fpark 
of life was already extinguiihed. It would have been a tribute due to his 
virtues and to his gallantry, and to me a facred duty, fince I am well 
apprized that, when at a particular period of the aftion I was left alone, and 
expofed to the lire of the whole American line, my old friend Putnam laved 
my life by calling aloud, ' Kill as many as you can, but Ipare Small ;' and 
that he aftually turned afide mufkets that were aimed for my deftruftion.' " 

(lo.) Charles, Earl Cornwallis. — The family of Cornwallys or Corn- 
waleys, (for the name appears to have been fpelt either way,) was of fome 
importance in Ireland in early times, and in 1561 Irilh deeds of the family 
were in exiftence in the county of Suffolk, dated in the reign of Edward III. 
A younger fon, Thomas, was iheriffof the City of London in 1378. 

Charles, fifth Lord, was Chief Juftice in Eyre, Ibuth of Trent, and after- 
wards Conftable of the Tower. He married in 1722 Elizabeth, daughter of 
Charles, fecond Vifcount Townlhend, brother-in-law of Sir Robert Walpole. 
He was made Earl Cornwallis and Vifcount Brome, June 30, 17535 and died 
June 23, 1762, having had four Ions and five daughters, of whom three fons 
and three daughters furvived him. 

His fixth child, but eldeft fon, Vilcount Brome (afterwards Lord Cornwal- 
lis), and the fubjedl of this note, was born in Grofvenor Square, December 31, 
1738. Lord Brome went at an early age to Eton. The exadl year has not 
been afcertained, but in an old Eton fchool lift, of Auguft 26, 1754, his name 
ftands fourth among the fixth form Oppidans. 

During his Eton career, he received, while playing at hockey, a blow on 
the eye, which produced a fiight, but permanent, obliquity of vifion. The 
btjy who accidentally cauled this injury was Shute Barrington, afterwards the 
highly efteemed Bilhop of Durham. 



{ h6 ) 



Before he attained the age of eighteen years, Lord Brome had chofen the 
army as his profeflion — in 1758 he became aid-de-camp to Lord Granby, in 
1759 captain in 85th foot, and in 1775 major-general. 

He was oppofed to the fcheme of taxing the American Colonies, and uni- 
formly voted againft it, notwithstanding the offices he held. He was alfo 
prefent on almoft every other queftion connefted with America, fuch as the 
MafTachufetts bill, the Bofton Port bill, &C.5 againft thefe he probably divided, 
but as no lifts have been preferved, individual votes cannot be pofitively afcer- 
tained. 

When the war with America broke out. Lord Cornwallis was ordered to 
America, to take command of one divifion of the Britifti Army, and notwith- 
ftanding his opinion of the injuftice of that war, he confidered that as a mili- 
tary man, he could not decline any employment offered to him. He embarked 
Feb. 10, 1776, for America, with the local rank of major-general. 

His wife, who is faid to have been a beautiful woman, was ftrongly adverfe 
to his going on adlive fervice, and obtained leave from the king for him to 
relinquifh his appointment — he peremptorily refufed to avail himfelf of the 
permiffion. He returned to England in January, 1778, but failed again from 
St. Helens, in the Trident, on the 21ft of April following. Lady Cornwallis 
became very dangeroufly fick, and Lord Cornwallis threw up his command and 
again returned to England. Lady Cornwallis died Feb. 14, 1779, ^"^ Lord 
Cornwallis again offered his fervices, which being accepted, he returned to 
America. Lord Cornwallis ferved adlively and with diftinction under Generals 
Howe and Clinton, in the campaign of 1776-9, in New York and the 
Southern States, and in 1780 was left in command of South Carolina. In 
the Spring of 1781 he invaded Virginia, where he obtained no decided fuc- 
cefs. Having received orders from Sir Henry Clinton to embark part of his 
force for New York, he moved to Portfmouth, but there received frefh inftruc- 
tions, under which he was ordered to Williamfljurgh, and diredled to make 
Point Comfort his place of arms. Finding Point Comfort ill-fuited for his 
purpofe, he removed to Yorktown, and there intrenched himfelf. He was 
there befieged by the French and American forces, affifted by the French fleet 
under De Graffe, and finally, after an obftinate defence, was, on the 19th of 
October, 1 78 1, forced to furrender himfelf and his troops as prifoners of war. 



( H7 ) 



His capture was a death-blow to the Britifh caufe. Cornwallis efcaped cen- 
fure, owing perhaps to his favor with the King. 

In 1786, he was made Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bengal, 
returned to England in 1793, was received with diftinguiflied honors, and 
in 1798 was made Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, which pofl he held until 1801. 

Towards the clofe of that year he was fent as ambaflador to France, where 
he negotiated the Peace of Amiens. 

In 1805 he was again appointed Governor-General of India, and though 
advancing age and impaired health might well have excufed him, he would 
not refufe the appointment, but embarked early in the year. Very fhortly 
after his arrival in India, he fet out for the Upper Provinces, where his pref- 
ence was greatly needed, but he was unable to proceed further than Ghazipoor, 
where he died 061. 5, 1805, in the 67th year of his age. During many 
years of adlive fervice in the field, he was ftruck but once, and he would not 
then allow his name to appear in the lift of wounded. His charadler as a 
foldier and ftatefman was highly refpedlable, but he was more diftinguiflied 
by diligence, humanity and integrity than by the higher mental powers. 

(11.) The Battle of Brooklyn, fought on the 27th of Auguft, 1776, 
forms an important landmark in the hiftory of our Revolutionary ftrug- 
gle. After the evacuation of Bofton by the Britifh, in March 1776, Gen. 
Wafliington took immediate meafures to anticipate what he flirewdly fuf- 
pefted would be their next attempt, viz., the occupation of the City of 
New York. Gen. Lee was therefore fent to that city with a large number of 
Connecticut troops — fortifications were fpeedily in progrefs, the pafTages to the 
city by North and Eaft Rivers were properly defended by entrenchments, chains, 
funken veiTels, &c., while acrofs the weftern end of Long Ifland was thrown 
a ftrong line of entrenched works, extending from the Wallabout to Gowanus 
Creek. In addition to thefe defences, Gen. Greene, who, with the afliftance 
of Gen. Sullivan had fuperintended the eredtion of thefe works, had faith- 
fully guarded the paffes which led to Brooklyn through the furrounding hills, 
while near the Bedford, Flatbufti and Yellow Hook defiles, breaftworks had 
been thrown up, and mounted patrols eftabliflied upon the roads. Unfortu- 
nately, at the critical moment Gen. Greene was taken fick, and Gen. Putnam 

19 



( 148 ) 



was Tent over to take command, and one of his firft afts — in violation of the 
exprefs orders of Washington — was to withdraw the mounted patrols. On 
the 22d of Auguft, the Britifh army crolTed over from Staten Ifland, and land- 
ing in Gravefend Bay, fpread its line along the eaftern bafe of the hills to 
Flatbufh, in which fituation it remained for feveral days, content with fimply 
occupying the attention of the Americans, and indulging in occafional deful- 
tory fkirmifhes with their patrols. But, on the 26th, one column, under 
Lieut. -Gen. De Heifter, moved to Flatbufh, and the fame evening Gen. Corn- 
wallis advanced his divifion to Flatlands, while at a ftill later hour Sir Henry 
Clinton, with the right of the army, in conjunction with Cornwallis' divifion, 
moved towards the Bedford pafs, to turn the left of the American lines on the 
heights between Bedford and Flatbufh. While this flank movement was 
being executed, Gen. Grant, in command of the Britifh left wing, moved up 
the weftern road from the Narrows to Brooklyn 5 and about midnight, falling 
in with the American pickets, was foon (by Putnam's order) confronted by 
Lord Stirling with 1,500 men, whom he continued to prefs flowly back — 
merely, however, as a feint to diftrad: attention from Clinton's movement oh 
the American left. About 2 A. M. of the 27th, Clinton having approached 
the Bedford pafs, and finding, to his furprife, that it was unoccupied, promptly 
feized it — and having thus gained the pofition of the impending contefl without 
a ftruggle, coolly fat down to reft and feed his troops. De Heifler, who had 
been left at Flatbufh, commenced about day-break to blind the American 
commander by a brifk cannonade — until hearing the concerted fignal-guns of 
Clinton, announcing that the Bedford pafs was fecured — he immediately 
prefTed his divifion forward upon Sullivan's lines, and after a defperate and 
fanguinary ftruggle, captured him and routed his command. . Clinton mean- 
while, after breakfaft, moved forward to Bedford, and then detaching Corn- 
wallis to co-operate with Grant in his movements on the Bay road, himfelf 
pufhed on towards the Flatbufh road where Sullivan and De Heifter were 
contending. Meanwhile Stirling — ftubbornly refifling the advance of Grant 
— found himfelf fuddenly attacked in rear by Cornwallis, and at the fame 
moment vigoroufly pufhed by Grant in front. He made good fight, how- 
ever, and fo well that Cornwallis was about to retire, when De Heifter, frefh 
from Sullivan's defeat, came to the refcue, and to him Stirling was obliged to 



( 149 ) 



furrender. This battle, or rather this feries of fkirmifhes, was thus concluded 
in favor of the Britifh arms 5 and the vidlorious army encamped in front of 
the American works in the evening, preparatory to attacking them by 
regular approaches, and with the aid of the fleet. The American army 
engaged in this battle numbered about 5,000, while that of the Britifh was 
at leaft three times larger. The Britiih lofs was comparatively trifling, and 
that of the Americans, in killed, wounded and prifoners, is efl:imated at 
from 1,100 to 1,200; moflily, however, in prifoners. The refult is attrib- 
utable mainly to the great extent of the American lines, to the garrifoning 
of which the force of the American army was manifefl:ly infuflicient 5 but 
mofl: of all to the fatal ftupidity and want of ordinary military Ikill evinced by 
Gen. Putnam in the guarding and protecflion of the feveral pafles of approach 
to Brooklyn. 

(12.) The Heflians were German foldiers, hired by Great Britain in the 
early part of the year 1776, of their mafl:ers, the petty German princes, at fo 
much per man. The Landgrave of Hefl"e-Cafl"el furnifhed 12,104; the Duke 
of Brunfwick, 4,084; the Prince of Hefle, 668; and the Prince ofWaldeck, 
670; being a total of 17,526 men, including officers. These princes received 
thirty-fix dollars apiece for their men, to which was added a confiderable fub- 
fidy — cofl:ing Great Britain in all the handfome fum of $775,000. The 
greater portion of thefe mercenaries, as will be feen, were furnifhed from 
Hefl"e, from which was derived the name of Hefllan, applied indifcriminately 
to all the German auxiliaries employed by Great Britain during the Revolu- 
tionary War. They arrived in America juft before the Battle of Long Ifland, 
and were received with open arms by the Britifh troops, men and officers vie- 
ing with each other in their attentions to their new allies. In the Battle of 
Long Ifland they took a moft important part, and after that ftruggle, during 
the feven years' Britifli occupation of Long Ifland, the permanent garrifons at 
Brooklyn and other Kings County towns were compofed of thefe Heffians. 
Many of them were captured at Trenton, in 1776, and their officers paroled. 
A large body of the Heffians was captured with Gen. Burgoyne's army at 
Saratoga, marched as prifoners of war to Cambridge, where they were treated 
with kindnefs by the inhabitants, and were finally quartered in the quiet town 



( 15° ) 



of Eaft now South Windfor, fix miles above Hartford, on the Connedticut 
River, at which place they remained for a long time. Some of the Heffians 
were alfo engaged at the battles of Bennington, and the attacks on Forts 
Mercer and Mifflin in 1777, and the affair at Guilford in 1781. 

The Heffian uniform, as defcribed by Dunlap, was as follows : "A tower- 
ing brass-fronted cap j mouttaches colored with the fame material that colored 
his fhoes, his hair plaftered with tallow and flour, and tightly drawn into a 
long appendage reaching from the back of the head to his waiil j his blue 
uniform almofl: covered by the broad belts fuftaining his cartouch box, his 
brafs-hilted fword, and bayonet j a yellow waiftcoat with flaps, and yellow 
breeches were met at the knee by black gaiters 5 and thus heavily equipped, 
he fl:ood an automaton, and received the command or cane of the officer who 
infpedled him." 

Thefe men came here to fight againfl: our fathers under the influence of 
that kind of unquefl:ioning loyalty to their chiefs which led them to make 
their prince's foreign quarrel their own domeftic concern, and his ihrewd policy 
their own plain intereft. It is true that our ancefliors — and their defcendants, 
have, with an excufable warmth of feeling, attributed the meanefl: mercenary 
motives and the mofl: favage cruelty to thefe foreign auxiliaries of their Britifh 
foe. Yet the "blinde Hefs," even now not famed for infight, as this his 
{landing title fhows, muft then have thought it the height of fentimental ab- 
furdity that his fidelity to the fovereign who, in profound king-craft, had by 
folemn treaty fold him to Great Britain, fliould be imputed to him as the 
bafenefs of a hireling. With no innate perceptions of the advantages of felf- 
government and democratic principles, it cannot be a matter of furprife to us 
that he felt no fympathy with a people who were already enjoying more free- 
dom than he had ever feen enjoyed by any people or nation in Europe, and 
who were ftruggling for fl:ill greater privileges, of which he could not under- 
ftand the neceffity. Much of the harfhnefs of his conduct mufl: be viewed 
from this fliandpoint of previous training and circumftances, and from the dif- 
ference of language, education, &c., naturally exifting between a European 
and an American foldier. 

(13.) John Coghlan was the fon of a, London merchant of great wealth, 



( Ifl ) 



and in youth his profpefts were without a fingle cloud. He entered the Navy 
and failed round the world with the celebrated Captain Cook. Difliking the 
Tea, his thoughts turned fucceflively to the Bar and Church, but finally he 
procured a commiflion in the Army. He ferved feveral campaigns in Amer- 
ica, and on the 28th of February, 1777, was married to Mifs Margaret Mon- 
crieffe by the Rev. Samuel Auchmuty, Reftor of Trinity Church, This 
connexion, as he averred, proved as miferable to him as it did to her. After 
the peace of 1783, he ferved in the Ruffian Army, but domeftic difappoint- 
ment preyed upon his mind, and he became diffipated. 

He returned to England, and his extravagance involved him in ruin. 

Finally, utterly wretched and an outcaft, he became an inmate of St. Bar- 
tholomew's Hofpital, where he died in 1807, in his fifty-fourth year, and in 
the moft abjedl and pitiable condition. 

His relatives in England and Wales were very refpedlable, and his body 
was retained in the dead-house eight days, in the hope that he would be claimed 
and decently interred. The charity of a ftranger furniihed a covering for his 
remains, and they were depofited in the burial-ground of the hofpital. 

It is faid that Captain Coghlan was among the handfomeft men of his time, 
that he was focial and convivial, and in his charities, when in pofleffion of 
money, liberal to a fault. 

(14.) Sir William Tryon was appointed Governor of the Colony of New 
York in 1771. The Province Houfe which he occupied was burned by the 
carelefTnefs of fervants, and his wife and daughter narrowly efcaped death. 
The Colony voted him five thoufand pounds, and the Britifh Government 
added a liberal fum for his lofTes. The fpirit of the man while at the head 
of affairs in New York, may be fully illuftrated by a fingle circumstance : "I 
fhould," faid he in 1777, "were I in authority, burn down every Committee- 
man's houfe within my reach, as I deem thofe agents the wicked inftruments 
of the continued calamities of this country 5 and in order fooner to purge the 
country of them I am willing to give twenty-five dollars for every adling Com- 
mittee-man who fhall be delivered up to the King's troops." His property, 
both in North Carolina and New York, was confifcated. In 1780, he was 
fucceeded by General Robertfon, a general in the Army, who was the laft 



( 152 ) 



Royal Governor of New York. Tryon died in London in 1788, with the 
rank of Lieutenant-General. 

(15.) Samuel Auchmuty, D. D., was the fon of Robert Auchmuty, an 
eminent lawyer and Judge of Admiralty in Maffachufetts. He graduated at 
Harvard Univerfity in 1742, and received his Doftorate of Divinity from Ox- 
ford. In 1754 he was employed by the Society for the Propagation of the 
Gofpel in Foreign Parts as catechift to the negroes in New York. On the 
28th of Auguft, 1764, he fucceeded the Rev. Dr. Henry Barclay as Redlor 
of Trinity Church. Upon the departure of General Howe from Bofton to 
Halifax, and the taking polfeflion of New York by the Revolutionary Army, 
moft of the inhabitants removed into the country. Dr. Auchmuty being much 
indifpofed through the fpring and fummer, retired with his family to Bruns- 
wick in New Jersey. During his abfence, Trinity Church and the Reftor's 
houfe, with nearly one thoufand other buildings, were deftroyed by fire, and 
Dr. Auchmuty 's lofs amounted to over £2,500 fterling. He died in 1777, 
having been in the miniftry over thirty years. His fermons before the break- 
ing out of the war were ftrongly denunciatorv of the Sons of Liberty, as the 
alfociated patriots were called, the moft prominent of whom in New York 
was Ifaac Sears (commonly known as King Sears), who was a member of his 
Church, and at the clofe of the war a veftryman. 

In April, 1775, Doctor Auchmuty wrote from New York to Captain Mon- 
treffor : " We have lately been plagued with a rafcally Whig mob here, but 
they have effefted nothing, only Sears the King was refcued at the jail door. 
Our magiftrates have not the fpirit of a loufe." 

(16.) Thomas Gage was the firft military and the laft Royal Governor of 
Maffachufetts. In 1770 he was a Lieutenant-General, and refided in New 
York, in a large houfe furrounded with elegant gardens on the fite now occu- 
pied by the ftores fixty-feven and fixty-nine Broad street. In 1774 he re- 
moved to Bofton, and arrived there on the i 3th of May, not many days after 
the intelligence was received of the aft shutting up its harbor, and whilft the 
inhabitants affembled at a town meeting were yet deliberating on the melan- 
choly profpedt before them. Notwithftanding the deep and folemn gloom of 



( ^53 ) 



the moment, he was received with the external marks of decent refpedl which 
had been ufual and which were fuppofed to belong to his ftation. Soon after 
Gage's arrival, two regiments of foot, with a fmall detachment of artillery and 
feme cannon, were landed at Bofton, and encamped on the Common j and 
they had been gradually reinforced by feveral regiments from Ireland, New 
York, Halifax and Q_uebec. The arrival and ftation of thefe troops excited 
the jealoufy of the inhabitants of Bofton and of the circumjacent counties. 
Their jealoufy was increafed by the ftationing of a Britiih guard on Bofton 
Neck, and perfeverance in repairing and manning the fortifications at the en- 
trance of the town. On the first of September, Gage fent two companies 
and took poffeflion of the powder in the arfenal at Charleftown. What was 
lodged in the magazine in Bofton was alio withholden from the legal proprie- 
tors. Detachments were alfo fent out to take poffeflion of the ftures in Salem 
and Concord j and the battle of Lexington became the fignal of war. In 
May 1775, the Provincial Congrefs declared "that Gen. Gage has, by the 
late tranfadlions and many other means, utterly dilqualified himfelf from ferv- 
ing this Colony as a Governor, or in any other capacity, and that therefore no 
obedience is in future due to him j but that, on the contrary, he ought to be 
confidered and guarded againft as an unnatural and inveterate enemy to the 
country." From this time the exercife of his functions was confined to Bofton. 
In June he iffued a proclarnation offering pardon to all the rebels excepting 
Samuel. Adams and John Hancock, and ordered the ufe of the martial law. 
But the battle of Bunker Hill a few days afterwards proved to him that he 
had miftaken the character of the Americans. 

In Odlober he embarked for England, was fucceeded in the command by 
Sir William Howe, and died in April 1787. 

(17.J Mrs. Gage, the wife of Thomas Gage above mentioned, was the 
daughter of Peter Kemble, Prefident of the Council of New Jerfey. She died 
in England in 1824, in the 91ft year of her age. 

(18.) Major Moncrieffe, the father of Mrs. Coghlan, was the uncle of 
General Richard Montgomery, and the brother-in-law of Mr. Jay and Gover- 
nor Livingfton, and when the American Revolution broke out, it was fuppofed 
that he would efpoufe the caufe of the Americans. He adhered to the Crown. 



( 154 ) 



In 1778 he refided at Flatbufh on Long Ifland, and was captured by Wil- 
liam Marriner, of Brunfwick, and carried to New Jerfey and delivered up to 
General Wafhington. He was afterwards exchanged, and in the war at the 
South performed moft valuable fervices to the Royal caufe. In the faving of 
Savannah the Britifh forces owed much to his fkill and ability, and were unan- 
imous in their acknowledgments of his fervices, while the French officers 
declared that his works and batteries fprung up every night like champignons. 
General Prevoft, in an official difpatch, thus wrote : " I would mention Cap- 
tain Moncrieffe, commanding engineer, but fincerely fenlible that all I can 
exprefs will fall greatly fhort of what that gentleman deferves, not only on 
this but on all other occafions, I fhall only, in the moft earneft manner, re- 
queft your Lordfhip taking him into your protection and patronage, to recom- 
mend him to his Majefty as an officer of long fervice and moft Angular merit, 
affiiring you, my Lord, from my own pofitive knowledge, that there is not one 
officer or foldier in this little army, capable of reflefting or judging, who will 
not regard as perfonal to himfelf any mark of Royal favour gracioufly conferred 
through your Lordfhip upon Captain Moncrieffe." 

Moncrieffe planned the works at Charlefton in the fiege of 1780, and 
no language can exprefs more forcibly than that of the Commander-in- 
Chief (Sir Henry Clinton) the fenfe which he entertained of his very ex- 
traordinary merit. Thefe are his words : " But to Major Moncrieffe the 
commanding engineer, who planned, and with the alfiftance of fuch capable 
officers under him, condufted the fiege with fo much judgment, intrepidity 
and laborious attention, I wifh to render a tribute of the very higheft applaufe 
and moft permanent gratitude 5 perfuaded that far more flattering commenda- 
tions than I can beftow will not fail to crown fuch rare merit." Major Mon- 
crieffe was not more happy in the pofTeffion of fuperior talents than fortunate 
in occafions to difplay them. The fucceffive fieges of Savannah and Charles- 
ton furnifhed him with opportunities of exemplifying his fkill in the two prin- 
cipal branches of his profeffion — the art of defence and that of attack. In 
both, his mafterly defigns were crowned with fuccefs 5 nor is it eafy to deter- 
mine in which of thefe, his great attainments in his profeffion, fhone with 
brighteft luftre. 

But at the evacuation of Charlefton he feems to have been guilty of an a(Sl 



( iSS ) 



which greatly tarnifhcd his military reputation. According to Ram fay, up- 
wards of eight hundred Haves, who had been employed by Moncrieffe, as engi- 
neer, were fhipped off to the Weft Indies, as was faid and believed, by his 
diredlion, and for his perfonal benefit. The unqualified teftimonials which he 
received from General Prevoft and Sir Henry Clinton were not without refults, 
fince he received a very generous donation from his Royal Mafter, and on the 
27th of September, 1 780, was commiffioned Lieutenant-Colonel. 

Mrs. Coghlan fays that her father died in the city of New York, on the 
tenth of December, 1791, but in the "New York Journal and Patriotic 
Regifter," No. 2,619, ^^ Wednefday, Dec. 1 1, 1791, we find the following 
notice of his death and funeral : 

"Thomas Moncrieffe, late Major in the Britifh fervice, died on Friday, 
December 6, 1791, fuddenly, by the burfting of a blood veffel, and on Sunday 
evening following his remains were interred in Trinity Church Yard, attended 
by a great number of refpedlable citizens." 

As Mrs. Coghlan was in England at the time of her father's deceafe, it is 
moft likely that the account of his death and funeral in the paper above men- 
tioned is the moft reliable. 

(19.) Lord Jefferey Amherst, fon of Jefferey Amherft of Riverhead, in 
Kent, was born January 29, 17 17 — received his enfign's commiffion in 1 73 1. 

In 1758, was fent to America as Major-General of the troops deftined for 
the fiege of Louisburg. He contributed materially to the reduftion of Canada, 
received the thanks of the Houfe of Commons, and was made Knight of 
Bath, and foon after was appointed Commander-in-Chief in America. 

He returned to England after the peace in 1763, where he received the 
Governorfhip of Virginia. A mifunderftanding with the King (George III.) 
was the caufe of his fudden difmiffal from the Army, but in a few months he 
was reinftated. 

In 1776, he was cceated Baron Amherft of Holmefdale in the County of 
Kent. In 1787 he received a fecond patent of nobility, with the title of 
Baron Amherft of Montreal in Canada. 

On the 22d January, 1793, he was again appointed to the command of the 
Army, and held it until fucceeded by the Duke of York, Feb. lo, 1795. 

ao 



( 156 ) 



Lord Amherft died at his feat at Montreal, near Seven Oaks, Kent, on the 
3d Aug., 1797, in the 8ift year of his age. 

(20.) Charles James Fox, the third fon of Right Hon. Henry Fox, was 
born January 24, 1749. 

In 1774, he oppofed Lord North's Bofton Port Bill, the objedl of which 
was to deprive that harbour of its privileges, in confequence of the oppofition 
by the inhabitants of Bofton to the tea duty. 

This was his firft oppofition to North, but he was afterwards unremitting 
in his oppofition, and contended that the American Colonies ought not to be 
taxed without being reprefented. 

On the 19th March, 1782, the Miniftry refigned — Fox was appointed Sec- 
retary of State for Foreign Affairs, and immediately fet about negotiating for 
peace with America. 

He died Sept. 13th, 1806, in his 58th year. Sir James Mackintofh has 
faid of him as an orator, " that he poffeffed above all moderns that unifon of 
reafon, fimplicity and vehemence which formed the prince of orators. He 
was " the moft Demofthenean fpeaker fince the days of Demofthenes," His 
fpeeches always difplay in a pre-eminent degree a fenfe of the importance of 
principles. 

Fox's fpeeches were coUedled and publifhed in fix volumes, with a fliort 
biographical' introduftion by Lord Erfkine, in 1825. 

(21.) Richard Brinsley Sheridan was born in Dublin, in 1751. He was 
placed in a fchool in Dublin when Ceven years old, and was regarded by his 
preceptor, Samuel Whyte, "as a moft impenetrable dunce." In 1762 he 
was fent to Harrow, where he remained until his i8th year, and during the 
time which he remained there was confidered a fhrewd, artful and fupercilious 
boy, without any fhining accomplifhments or fuperior learning. Thence he 
went to Bath, became acquainted with Mifs Linley, a young and beautiful 
finger, and to fave her from the perfecutions of a libertine named Mathews, 
he fled with her early in 1772 to France, and a marriage at a village in the 
neighborhood of Calais was the confequence. The refult was two duels with 
Mathews, growing out of the ftudied infults of the latter, in the laft of which 
Sheridan was wounded. 



( 157 ) 



In 1773 he entered the Middle Temple as a ftudent of law, but was not 
called to the Bar. 

On the 17th January, 1775, "The Rivals" was brought out in Covent 
Garden, and though it failed the firft night, fpeedily became the univerfal 
favorite it has ever fince remained. It was followed the fame year by the 
farce of "St. Patrick's Day," and the comic opera of "The Duenna." In 
1776 he became one of the proprietors of Drury Lane. In the following year 
he brought out " The School for Scandal," which placed him at the head of 
comic dramatifts. In 1799 he wrote a monody on the death of Garrick, and 
the farce of "The Critic." In 1780 he was elefted a member of Parlia- 
ment from Stafford. For thirty-two years he purfued a fplendid parliamentary 
career. One of his greateft efforts was his fpeech as manager, upon the im- 
peachment of Warren Haftings. He was thrice in office, for fhort periods, 
under the Rockingham Coalition and Whig adminiftrations. His profufe 
habits involved him deeply in debt 5 the deftruftion of Drury Lane Theatre 
by fire contributed to his ruin ; his failure to obtain a feat in parliament de- 
prived him of protection from arreft^ his perfon was more than once feized 
by the harpies of the law ; and amidft difficulties fears and forrows, this highly- 
gifted man funk to the grave on Sunday, the 7th of July, 18 16. On the 
following Saturday the funeral took place, his remains having been removed 
to the houfe of his friend, Peter Moore, in Great George Street, Weftminfter. 
From thence, at one o'clock, the proceffion moved on foot to the Abbey, 
where, in the only fpot in Poet's Corner that remained unoccupied, the body 
was interred, and the following fimple infcription marks its refting place : 

RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN, 

BORN, I 75 I, 
DIED, 7TH JULY, 1816. 

This Marble is the Tribute of an Attached Friend^ 
Peter Moore. 

(22.) Colonel Moncrieffe was killed in the fortie which the French 
Republicans made when hemmed up in Dunkirk by the Duke of York's 
army in 1793. The moft authentic accounts of the time ftate the manner of 
his exit to be as follows : The uniform of the Britifh Engineers was fo like 



that of the French Republican Army in 1793, that the officers to enable their 
own men to diftinguifh them wore a white handkerchief tied round their arm. 
Colonel Moncrieffe, who had negledled this precaution, though frequently re- 
minded of it, was taken for a French Democrat by the Auftrians, in whofe 
hands he was found by Colonel St. Leger and feveral officers of the guards, 
wounded and ftript. It is generally believed that his death was occafioned by 
this miftake, for it is not certain that he fell by the fire of the enemy. 

(23.) Thomas Erskine, afterwards Lord Erlkine, the youngeft Ton of David 
Earl of Buchan, was born in 1748. He entered the Navy in 1764 as mid- 
fhipman, but not thinking his profpedls of promotion fjfficiently good he 
accepted a commiffion in the Army. 

In 1775 he commenced the ftudy of the law, and in 1778 was called to 
the Bar. His praftice and reputation Increafed fo very rapidly that in 1783 
he received a patent of precedence at the fuggeftion of Lord Mansfield who 
then prefided in the Court of King's Bench. In the fame year he entered 
Parliament. In the Houfe of Commons his fuccess was not great, though 
his fpeeches would appear to have been far above mediocrity. In the fame year 
alfo he was made Attorney-General, an appointment which, in 1794, he was 
called upon to refign in confequence of his refufing to abandon the defence of 
Thomas Paine when he was profecuted for his publication — " The Rights of 
Man." In 1802 he was made Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, and in 
1806 Lord Chancellor, and raifed to the Peerage by the title of Baron Erfkine 
of Riftormel Caftle in Cornwall, He remained in office but a ihort time, and 
upon the difTolution of the Miniftry in 1807 retired from public life. In his 
later years he was harraffed by pecuniary embarraffments. His firft wife died 
in 1805, and an ill-afforted fecond marriage increafed his domeftic difquietudes 
and injured his reputation. His later years were marked by eccentricities 
which feemed to indicate mental difeafe. He died November 17, 1823. 



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